


Something New

by Sirenswhisper



Series: Crime and Cuddles [1]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alpha Thranduil, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And angst?, Crime Boss Thranduil, Crimes & Criminals, Fluff, M/M, Modern AU, Omega Bard, Omega Legolas, SO MUCH FLUFF
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-05-21 22:38:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 33,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6060739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sirenswhisper/pseuds/Sirenswhisper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You don’t need to worry or want for anything ever again. I give you my word."</p><p>Thranduil enters an illegal fight ring where the prize is an omega. He leaves with Bard who is looking for a better life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is completely my friend's fault.

Thranduil glanced around the arena as he stepped out with a cold smirk fixed on his face. There on the podium in the benches was the umpires seat and beside is kneeling sweetly was the omega this competition was all about. His hair was dark and hung lower than Thranduil would have liked but that would be simple enough to sort when the bitch was his. 

Thorin Oakenshield stepped out the other side of the small sand pit and snarled at Thranduil. Thranduil aimed his smirk Thorin's way before searching out the man's beta in the crowd. There was Bilbo. Sat close to the podium with wide eyes alternating between Thorin and the omega two seat away. It was hardly surprising that Thorin wanted omega, as omega like as Bilbo could be he still couldn't give Thorin the heirs he wanted. The poor bitch would be reduced to little more than a broodmare. Such a waste. 

"Starting positions. A clean fight please gentlemen," The master said as he sat in the umpire's chair. Thranduil stepped up to his mark and allowed himself a glance at Legolas on the row behind Bilbo. There was a harsh set to his shoulders but Thranduil put it out of his mind and faced Thorin. He flexed his shoulders and met Thorin's snarl with a blank face.

They sized each other for a moment longer before turning their gaze to the kneeling omega. His chin had been raised by the Master so that the crowd got a good look at him. He wasn't young, but most of the omegas who ended up as prizes rarely were. What had happened to him that had meant he'd ended up in this hole? 

"On your call Sweetheart," The Master said and Thranduil raised an eyebrow at the curl of the omega's lips. His eyes darted over them for a moment before returning to the ground. He said nothing. " Not playing hard to get now are we?" 

The crowd laughed and the bitch jerked his chin out of the Master's grip. The rebellion earnt him a kick in the bottom from Alfrid who stood behind. A whimper betrayed the omega and the fight began. 

Thorin charged and Thranduil kicked up sand into his face as he whirled out of the way. Thorin coughed and raged as Thranduil darted behind him and landed a kick in the small of his back. Thorin stumbled forward, lost his balance and landed on the floor. He was up in a moment and lunging for Thranduil's legs. The arena was too small to get out the way easily, so he leaped over Thorin and kicked him in the face. He hadn't anticipated that Thorin might grab his other leg mid-jump. 

He landed on his hands and twisted out of Thorin's grip. Thorin pounced and ripped at Thranduil's hair as he tried to force him to eat sand. Thranduil bucked and flipped them. An elbow Thorin's lung allowed him to wriggle free and then he pressed his hand to his windpipe. When Thorin made to gouge his eyes out Thranduil gave him a knee to the balls. He slammed his elbow into Thorin's temple and sat back with a smirk as he surveyed the unconscious man. Not a bad job. 

The crowd was cheering as he stood and stepped away from his fallen business rival. He'd deal with that later. 

Right now he had to collect his little Treasure. 

Thorin was dragged from the arena as Thranduil exited. Legolas met him in the plush waiting room, and his grin looked painful. There was blood under his finger nails and his posture didn’t relax until they were alone together. 

“Do you regret coming?” Thranduil ran his eyes over to check for signs injuries. 

“No, it was a good show and I can handle myself just fine Ada.” Legolas’ smirk nearly matched Thranduil before the fight. “That alpha won’t be touching unmated omegas for a while.” 

Thranduil laughed and sat on a chair that had too much stuffing in it. The wallpaper was elaborate and garish in its attempt to be elegant. Thranduil tapped his nails on the cracked leather of the arm rest. 

“Did you get a good look at him?” Thranduil darted his eyes to the closed door where his omega would soon emerge. The door opened before Legolas could answer and the omega was hauled through bound and gagged. There was a blind fold over his eyes and he was shoved onto his knees. 

“Is that really necessary?” Legolas said as he walked over only to be pushed back. Thranduil got to his feet slowly and fixed Alfrid a long glare for having dared touch his son.  
“Very necessary. He’s a handful, and in need of a strong alpha to put him in his proper place.” Alfrid said avoiding Thranduil’s gaze. The omega twitched at the statement and got a kick for his trouble. 

“Enough. You may go.” Thranduil said. “I will be out shortly for the rest of the paperwork.” 

Alfrid and Braga looked like they might protest Thranduil bared his teeth and took a step towards them. They fled back through the door slamming it shut behind them. Legolas let out a cough from beside him while the bitch on the floor whined and swayed. 

“Can you not do that? Your scent is painfully strong.” Legolas said. 

Thranduil ignored him and knelt down in front of his omega to remove the blind fold and gag. Hooded eyes took a moment to focus and Thranduil took the time to survey his face. He was attractive but nothing special to look at. Thranduil could detect a beta masking scent over the omega’s skin and his nostrils flared. There underneath it was the scent he was looking for, even better than he’d hoped actually. He was still fertile, he hadn’t been in heat for a while, he could detect at least one pregnancy if not more and there were notes of heartbreak over it all. Other than that he smelt homely and sweet, like honey, fresh baking and warm blankets. 

“Perfect.” Thranduil breathed. “What’s your name?” 

“Bard…sir.” Bard stared straight at him instead of lowering his eyes. Thranduil smirked and touched his cheek. 

“Legolas is going to find you some more…appropriate clothing and then I’ll meet you both out by the car.” He stood and pulled out a knife. Bard flinched and immediately lowered his eyes. Thranduil cut through the ties that held Bard and sheathed the knife once more. “Take care of him.” Thranduil said to Legolas as he walked towards the door. 

“No harm will come to him I swear.” Legolas helped Bard to his feet. 

“Wait! What about my children?” Bard asked. 

“Children?” Legolas frowned and glanced at Thranduil. “They’ll be with their father.” 

“They don’t have a father. Not really.” Bard said.

“Explain.” Thranduil stood with a hand on the door handle. 

“My wife, ex-wife, left me but she’s a beta. So we had to get a sperm donor to have them.” Bard stared at the floor. 

“Then she’ll have custody of them.” Legolas said with a roll of his eyes. 

“But I want custody of them,” Bard said. His head jerked up and he glared at Legolas. Legolas raised his eyebrows. 

“You’re adorable,” Legolas said. Thranduil left them to it and went to the conference room a few floors up to sort out the paperwork. 

*  
When Thranduil joined them in the car he set the new paperwork in a brief case and chucked it into the boot and got in the back with Bard. Legolas had given up his usually spot and sat up front with Feren instead. 

“Straight home sir? Or do you want to stop on the way?” Feren asked. 

“Straight home,” Thranduil said. He wanted to get Bard settled in as soon as possible, and delaying would only make the bitch more on edge. 

Bard was wrapped in furs that Legolas had brought with him. Thranduil would have preferred him dressed in silks and other finery, but Legolas was adamant that the more traditional furs would make him more comfortable. They were also more suitable for this time of year. The chill in the air a few days ago had changed to biting cold. 

Thranduil couldn’t keep his eyes off Bard as they drove and he smirked as he scented the air. Bard might be avoiding looking at him with his feet curled up under him, but his scent gave away his natural pleasure at an elite alpha’s attentions. He wanted to touch the omega, to move his hair away from his face and to offer comfort and warmth, but he made no move towards him in case he scared him. It would be best for the moment at least to get him used to his scent, and the backseat of this car stank of him. 

“I want custody of my children,” Bard said when they were almost home. Legolas huffed. 

“They’re all he would talk about before you arrived at the car.” Legolas turned in his seat. 

“That’s because they’re the only things that matter to me.” Bard glared at him. He didn’t have the Oropherion glare though and so it just looked cute. 

“That can be dealt with later.” Thranduil had made a note to do some inquires but he didn’t plan to do anything until Bard was settled. He reached out and ran a hand over Bard’s neck. Bard’s eyes fluttered before he jerked away. 

“I want it dealt with now!” 

Thranduil shot Bard a cold look and grabbed Bard’s chin. Bard flinched but Thranduil held on. 

“Behave. I don’t want to have to discipline you before I’ve even claimed you.” Thranduil let go of him. “You can’t have custody of your children but if I decide to, then I could apply for joint custody on your behalf.” 

Bard nodded and stared down at the pristinely cleaned floor as the car turned down their long drive and Thranduil waited until his house could be seen through the trees. He reached over again and tilted Bard’s chin up with his finger. 

Bard gasped his eyes wide as he stared at the mansion. Thranduil smirked as he watched the reaction. Thranduil ran his thumb over Bard’s cheek who leaned into the touch. 

“You live here?” Bard asked. 

“And now so do you.” Legolas grinned as he watched Bard’s face. Bard didn’t look away from the house as they drove up to it. 

“This doesn’t feel real,” Bard whispered as Feren walked round the car and opened the door for Thranduil, Legolas and Bard. Thranduil and Legolas exited immediately, while Bard waited for Thranduil to offer him his hand. Thranduil smiled, at least the omega had manners even if he seemed to fight his natural submissiveness. 

Once Bard was out of the car Thranduil wrapped his arm around Bard’s waist and lead the way instead. Bard leant heavily on him as they walked, and his eyes darted all around them. 

They stepped into the entrance hall and Bard gasped. Thranduil tried to follow his gaze but it moved too fast for him to track as it hopped from the hard wood floors, the grand staircase with its etched designs in the wood and the large paintings on the walls of a sickly wood. The paintings were from a collection called ‘Mirkwood’ and they were two of the original pieces that had caught Thranduil’s attention. He’d liked the way they had presence and beauty despite their rotting subject. It had been his late wife’s idea to steal them and while it wasn’t their usual jobs, especially as Thranduil hated getting his hands dirty, they’d pulled it off without a hitch. 

“What do you think? Could you be happy here?” Thranduil asked into Bard’s hair. He smirked when he felt the shiver that went through Bard. 

“I don’t know. It’s so big…I…I feel very out of place here.” Bard winced as soon as he said it. Thranduil kissed his forehead in praise for his honesty. Bard relaxed a little and glanced up at Thranduil. “Do I get a tour?” 

“Later. I think I’ve waited long enough to claim my prize.” Thranduil ran his thumb over Bard’s lips who blushed and looked down. 

“Now? Can’t I adjust first?” 

Thranduil considered. It would be better for them both if Bard wanted to be claimed rather than resigned to it. Leaving the matter was a hazard though and he hated loose ends. He looked round for Legolas but it seemed that he’d left them alone. 

“Legolas?” 

“Yes Ada?” Legolas walked from the library. He leaned against the doorframe until Thranduil raised his eyebrows at him and he corrected his posture. Bard shrunk into Thranduil’s side at the sight of him. 

“Get Bard your scent mask stripper.” The beta scent really should have been removed before the fight and presentation but instead it still lingered under Thranduil’s noise. He wanted Bard to take as much of Thranduil’s scent onto his skin as possible during their claiming and that fake scent would only get in the way. 

“It won’t work. They tried to get rid of the scent mask when I arrived at their…holding pens, but it’s a semi-permanent one. It’ll be at least a month before it wears off,” Bard said. Thranduil growled and Bard flinched at the sound. 

“Let’s see what we can do.” Legolas walked over and held out his hand for Bard. Bard glanced between Thranduil and Legolas. Thranduil nodded and gave him a slight push in the back. Bard gulped and took Legolas’s hand. 

Legolas grinned and dragged Bard up the stairs. Bard yelped and Thranduil could hear him telling Legolas to slow down. Thranduil rolled his eyes as the omegas in his life and went to his study. 

*

It was three hours later while Thranduil was in a meeting with his security that Legolas burst through the door as Bard trailed after him. Thranduil jerked his head assuming something was wrong until he saw the look on Legolas’ face. 

“I did it! Took loads of different methods but we got there!” Legolas pushed a bedraggled Bard towards Thranduil. Bard lowered his gaze immediately and shuffled his feet. 

“Come here.” Thranduil motioned for Bard to join him. Bard closed the distance between them, and Thranduil scented him. There was the slightest hint of beta but only as if he’d accidently brushed against one. It was a major improvement. “Well done Legolas.”

Legolas’ scent altered for a moment in pleasure before it almost returned to normal. He grabbed a chair and sat down so that he was now part of the meeting. Bard looked around and then at Thranduil. 

“You can either kneel beside me or sit on my lap,” Thranduil said. Bard blushed and after a pause sat on Thranduil’s lap. He tucked his head under Thranduil’s chin and he could smell the tentative pleasure at being so close to an alpha in Bard’s scent. Thranduil smiled and wrapped his arms around Bard so that he didn’t fall off his lap. 

“What’s this meeting on?” Legolas asked. 

“Security changes that are needed now that Bard’s with us,” Feren said while Galion shuffled a pile of paperwork, and handed Legolas a few sheets of paper. 

“Isn’t this a bit…extreme?” Legolas asked. “It’s not as if he’s going to be leaving the house.”

“What do you mean I’m not leaving the house?” Bard tried to sit up more but Thranduil’s arms held him in place. 

“Well, where would you go for a start?” Galion asked. 

“To see my children and visit my friends. Do I need a reason to leave other than just wanting to get out of the house?” 

“Yes, preferably, and we’d have to be notified in advance,” Feren said. 

“So I’m trapped here, is that what you’re saying?” Bard’s voice was tight. 

“Aren’t all omegas?” Legolas leaned his head back. 

“Why do I need security? Why do you need security?” Bard asked Thranduil. 

“To protect you.” Thranduil wasn’t ready to tell Bard that by being his omega he’d become Thranduil’s greatest weakness. He definitely wasn’t prepared to tell him that he was the ‘Elvenking’ head of a crime ring with a network across the entire world. He’d wait until Bard was settled first and when he came to know the private side of Thranduil. It wouldn’t do to scare him with his professional side. 

“From what?” Bard looked around at everyone gathered. “Is no one going to tell me?” 

“Nope.” Legolas grinned. “Now be a good omega and shut up.”

“You’re an omega too,” Bard grumbled. 

“We’ll come back to the issue with the children,” Thranduil said. Bard jerked in his arms and stared up at him. His eyes were wide and he struggled again to sit up properly. Like before Thranduil held him in place and sent his scent over Bard to calm him. Bard glared even as he melted against Thranduil once more. 

“You’re talking about my children aren’t you!” Bard said. 

“Maybe we should get you a gag,” Legolas said. Bard snapped his head around and glared at Legolas. “You’re adorable.” 

“And you’re an arsehole,” Bard said. 

“Behave. Both of you,” Thranduil said. Bard settled down and Legolas turned back to the paperwork. 

“Are my children safe?” Bard asked. Thranduil ran his hand through Bard’s hair, and thought of what would be the best thing to tell him. Bard’s children could be held over Bard and through him over Thranduil. He couldn’t allow such a weakness to remain.

“They will be,” Thranduil said. Plans were being put into place but the details weren’t yet finalised. Bard nodded and relaxed. The rest of the meeting past without incident and Bard drifted in and out of sleep against Thranduil’s neck. 

*

Bard been asleep when the meeting ended so Thranduil carried him up to their bedroom and deposited Bard on the bed. He pressed a soft kiss to Bard’s forehead and breathed in his sweet scent. Then he stepped back and took a moment to drink in the sight of his omega in his bed. It was a sight he planned to enjoy for the rest of his life. 

“I won’t let you go. I swear I’ll keep you safe.” He took a book off the large bookshelf and lounged on the throne light chair that gave him a clear view of the bed and started to read. 

Bard woke a short while later which a stiff jerk. He sat up and caught sight over Thranduil as he was putting his book aside. Thranduil stood up and crossed to the bed as Bard looked around them. 

“This room is beautiful.” Bard gave his full attention to Thranduil as he joined him on the bed. 

“I’m glad that our bedroom meets your approval.” Thranduil touched Bard’s face and ran his hand through his thick, dark hair. Bard blushed and looked down. 

“Right of course.” 

Thranduil lifted Bard’s chin with one finger and leaned in to capture his lips. His bitch opened his mouth and Thranduil pushed his tongue inside. The scent of Bard’s pheromones filled the room and tugged at Thranduil’s control until he realised his own pheromones. Bard moaned as their scents mixed and blended in the air. Bard’s warm blankets and honey and Thranduil’s tree sap and log burners. 

Thranduil reached down and scooped Bard onto his lap, as Bard touched his neck and hair. He could feel Bard run his hand through his hair, and the other hand slide down to wrap around his shoulders. Thranduil pushed his hands under Bard’s shirt and traced patterns across his back. When Bard pressed himself against Thranduil he knew it was time and flipped them over, so that Bard was spread across the ornately carved bed. 

“Mmmm, exactly where you belong.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bard settles in.

Bard woke with a groan to find his body aching especially around his arse and the back of his neck. He was warmer than he’d been in a long time and it didn’t smell like his mouldy flat. Strong arms were wrapped around him as he was pressed back into a hard chest. The scent of alpha was so strong that he thought he might faint. Don’t swoon, don’t swoon, don’t swoon. 

He opened his eyes and tried to work out the best way to get away from the alpha in order to hunt down a bathroom. After a couple of attempts to ease out from under the arms that only tightened in response he gave the one over his chest a sharp poke. 

“What?” Came the grunt from behind him. 

“I need to pee now let me up,” Bard said. A huffed laugh brushed across the back of his neck and made him shiver. 

“Bathroom is the door you’re facing. Go straight there and come straight back.” Thranduil loosened his grip enough for Bard to slip out of. 

In the bathroom with his business done Bard examined the finger bruises on his hips and the bite mark on his neck. He’d had worse from his next door neighbour. Overall it was a very efficient job. He washed his hands and sniffed at his skin. It felt so strange to smell like an omega for a change. The last time he’d smelt even remotely like this was when he was pregnant with Tilda, and then, of course, the sent had been overlain by the scent of pregnancy. 

He returned to the bedroom and dived back under the warm covers. Those arms engulfed him again and he let himself relax into them. 

He wanted to close his eyes but the light that slinked in from the gap in the curtains made him feel homesick. It had been over a week since he’d last seen his children and he couldn’t help thinking about them and about what he’d be doing if he was still with them. It was around this time that he’d be getting up to start the day and make them all breakfast. 

“Don’t…don’t you have to get up for work or something?” Bard asked. He wasn’t sure what Thranduil’s job could possibly be to own a house like this though. Was he the head of a company or something? Or was it inherited money? 

“Took time off to settle you in. Now sleep.” Thranduil nipped him on the back of his neck over his mating bite and Bard caught the whimper in this throat before it could escape. He closed his eyes and shifted to find a comfortable sleeping spot. 

When Bard woke again it was because Thranduil was scooping him up. Bard yelped and clung to him in case he was dropped. He felt the laugh that went through his alpha’s chest and it was only when he was set down in a chair that he relaxed.

“Legolas will be here in a moment to sort you out with clothes and then I expect you both downstairs for breakfast.” Thranduil took a step back. He was fully dressed already and Bard blushed as the chill of the air reminded him of his naked state. 

“Where are you going?” Bard asked.

“I have some work to get done and then I will be joining you for breakfast.” With that Thranduil left the room and Bard was left to wrap his arms around himself. 

Legolas walked in with a basket of clothes under one arm and up-ended it on the bed. He sorted through a few furs and then moved onto garments that Bard knew he’d never have been able to afford. 

Bard got up to join him and ran a hand over a lilac shirt. It was off the shoulder and not something he’d ever have worn before, but the material felt like silk. Most of the clothes seemed to be in the off the shoulder styles and some even had gaping backs. Bard shoved them aside. There was no way he was wearing something like that. 

“Don’t you have any beta clothes?” Bard asked. 

Legolas snorted and held up a pair of black trousers cut into an omega style. He held them close to Bard’s body and then set them down on the bed again. 

“Can I, at least, have underwear first?” Bard asked. 

“Why do you need underwear? Have you given birth recently?” Legolas set a fur off to one side and then turned to give Bard his full attention. 

“No.” 

“Then I don’t see why you should wear underwear,” Legolas said. 

“Are you serious?” Bard asked.

“I don’t wear underwear and I don’t know any omegas who do. Maybe our family is more traditional than you’re used to, but you’re going to need to stop playing beta and act like the omega you are.” 

Bard looked away from him only to have Legolas grab his chin and force him to meet his gaze. The grip was stronger than Bard would have assumed and it caught him off guard.   
“We can either learn to play nice or I can repeatedly land you in trouble until you’re disciplined into the omega that my father deserves. Do you understand, Bitch?” Legolas asked. He held Bard’s chin for a moment more and then let him go. 

Bard flinched and nodded. He wasn’t sure what he should reply to that. “Good. Now put these on.” 

Legolas held out the trousers he’d put aside before and a long sleeved off the shoulder shirt that would rest against his hips. The top was a pale blue and had a velvet lining.   
Bard ran a hand over the lining just to enjoy the softness and caught Legolas’ expression softening. 

“You can go change in the bathroom if you’d prefer the privacy,” Legolas said. He started folding the remaining clothes and sorting them into piles. 

Bard took the clothes and went into the bathroom to change. The trousers ghosted across his skin whenever he moved, and he checked repeatedly to make sure they weren’t see through at all. He moaned as he slid on the shirt. He stood for a moment moving every now and again to enjoy the sensation of the clothes on his body. 

Bard jumped as Legolas opened the door and evaluated the clothes. 

“Would it kill you to knock?” 

“You were taking too long and I want breakfast.” Legolas jerked his head back towards the bedroom. 

Bard followed him through the house and to the dining room where Thranduil was waiting for them.

Thranduil nodded to Legolas as he stood and pulled out the chair beside him for Bard. Legolas sat opposite Thranduil and Bard sat in the directed seat on Thranduil’s left.   
“He looks nice doesn’t he?” Legolas poured himself some tea. “It took less time than I thought it would to work out what looks good on him. I’m thinking mostly fawn browns, dove blues and dove greys?” 

“Dress him however you wish,” Thranduil said. “You know the styles I prefer.” 

Thranduil rested an arm on the back of Bard’s chair and the proximity to his alpha make goose bumps appear on Bard’s arms.

The food before them was more than Bard had seen in his life and the table still looked barren. He wasn’t sure how many the table could sit but he was sure that the food before them was more than could be eaten by just three people. 

Bard wasn’t sure what to have or where to start so he accepted the teapot from Legolas. His normal morning routine was coffee in the morning and skip breakfast so that there was more food for his children. 

Bard poured himself a cup of tea only to find it was a golden colour instead of the black or brown he’d been expecting. He glanced over at Legolas’s cup and saw that he’d gone without milk. It was a blend that Bard had never bothered to try then. He set the teapot down, and made himself a very light breakfast. 

“A quick run through of rules.” Thranduil refilled his mug with coffee that actually smelt like real coffee and not the cheap instant kind that Bard was used too. “You’re not allowed to leave the premises without my permission and if you want to go into the gardens then you will have to take a member of the house security team with you. You’re also not allowed to answer phone calls and until I sort you out a new phone you’re not allowed to make them either.” 

“But I need to contact my children. They haven’t heard from me in over a week,” Bard said. 

“They’re with your ex aren’t they? The arena will have contacted them to tell her that you’ve been claimed and she’ll surely have told them. They won’t expect to hear from you for a while. If ever,” Legolas said. 

Bard felt sick. To never be allowed to contact his children was something he didn’t dare think about. He had known the lie he’d told about a wife wouldn’t cause him problems later but he hadn’t thought it would affect him so early. He stared down at the fruit in his bowl and tried to think of a way he could admit to the lie without telling them the actual truth. 

“I still want to talk to them, and make sure that they’re…ok.” He’d been about to say safe but thought that that might give too much away. 

“Urgh. Knock him up quick so that he has another child to distract him,” Legolas said. 

Thranduil smirked and pressed a kiss to Bard’s temple as he ran his fingers over the mating bite at the back of Bard’s neck. The scent of alpha washed over him and Bad had to remind himself: Don’t swoon, don’t swoon, don’t swoon.

“Everything’s in hand. Don’t worry about a thing.” Thranduil got up and ran a hand up Bard’s neck and along his chin. Firm fingers tilted it up and Bard moaned into the kiss that was pressed on his mouth. “I have work to do. Legolas, look after him until I’m finished.” He took his coffee and left the room. 

“I don’t want another child. All I want is to have my children living with me,” Bard said.

“Do you ever talk about anything else? Don’t answer that. Are you finished? Let’s find you something else to think about other than them.” Legolas stood up and grabbed Bard out of his seat. 

“Wait, you’re just going to leave all that food?” 

“The servants will deal with it. Come on.”

“So it’s just going to go to waste?” Bard felt his stomach churn at the idea. He’d have whored himself to give his children a meal a quarter of the size of that one, and yet they were just throwing it away. 

“Probably not. The security teams had a shift change recently and they’ll be hungry.” Legolas dragged Bard through the house to a room that had soft mats on the floor. It didn’t have any artwork on the walls and the windows were set so high they were closer to the double ceiling than the floor. 

“Why am I here?” Bard looked around. 

“To learn self-defence.” 

“Why do I need to learn that? Unless you mean I should be using it against Thranduil.” Even saying it felt wrong. 

“Fight him? Why would you need to? Also, you wouldn’t stand a chance against him no matter what I taught you.” Legolas laughed. 

“Then what’s the point?” Bard asked. 

“The point is that if you beat me I’ll let you contact your children on my phone.” Legolas pulled it out of his pocket and set it to one side of the room. 

Legolas pulled a bag out of a cupboard and started changing into sports clothes. He turned and chucked a few at Bard. They changed and Bard set his clothes in a neat pile near the bag. 

“So I just have to beat you to get the phone?” Bard stood up and faced Legolas. 

“We’ll have to build you up to that. First you need to learn how to fall.” Legolas motioned him into the middle of the room where the most padding was. 

Legolas showed him how to spread his weight as he fell and how to roll with the momentum. After a few tries on his own Bard had to endure an hour of Legolas putting him on his back. 

“Ok. I can fall now. Can we move onto something else?” Bard held up a hand for Legolas to help him to his feet once more.

“What’s the matter? Am I giving you flashbacks to your wedding night?” Legolas asked. He was smirking and Bard blushed at the memories of Thranduil claiming him last night. 

“You wish you were that good.” Bard said. He promptly found himself on his back again. “Ow!”

“We’re not moving onto anything else until this becomes instinctual.” 

Thranduil swept into the room and raised his eyebrows at them. Bard got to his feet again and didn’t take his eyes off his alpha. Legolas used the distraction to take Bard’s legs out from under him. Thranduil walked forward, set Bard on his feet and then gave Legolas a disapproving look. 

“I think that’s enough for today.” Thranduil’s voice was icy and yet Bard still couldn’t resist the pull of his alpha and learned into him. 

“Yes, Sir.” Legolas stared down at his feet. 

“Good. Lethuin is waiting outside for your combat lesson. Would you like me to send him in now or would you like a moment?” Thranduil asked. His arm wrapped around Bard’s waist and pulled Bard even closer to him. Bard melted against him. 

“I’m ready now,” Legolas said and flashed a smirk at them. He grabbed Bard’s clothes and gave them back to him. 

Thranduil led Bard out of the room as a stern-faced beta slipped inside. They paused along the corridor and Bard was turned in Thranduil’s arms. His face was tilted up as a kiss was placed on his lips. Bard gasped into it but Thranduil didn’t take advantage, instead he pressed a kiss on his jaw and then his neck. Bard pressed himself closer which caused Thranduil to laugh against his skin. 

“Tempting as it is that’ll have to wait until later. I have some people that I’d like you to meet.” Thranduil started walking again and Bard was pulled along with him. 

“Who?” Bard asked. 

“They’re members of the security teams and I want you to go to them if you have any issues that you can’t come to me about. Whether that be because you can’t get hold of me or because you don’t feel able to tell me about it. I want you to go to them about anything that’s bothering even if the problem is me or seems silly.” 

“You really mean that?” Bard asked. It was the last thing he expected to be offered. 

“Of course. This is your home. You should feel safe and comfortable here.” Thranduil held open his study door. There were two people in the room waiting for them. One of them Bard recognised from the night before although he didn’t know his name. 

“I employ three security teams and these are the heads of two of them. Lethuin, who we passed is the head of Legolas’ security team. This is Feren who you met yesterday. He’s head of my own security team.” A look passed between the three of them that Bard couldn’t interpret. “And this is Elros. He is head of the house security team and whose protection you fall under.” 

Feren and Elros inclined their heads to Bard and he offered them a smile in return. It felt strange to be acknowledged in such a way. When he had worn the beta scent only elite alpha’s such as Thranduil could detect that he was an omega. Beta’s were usually greeted with a handshake but omegas never were. 

“Nice to meet you,” Bard said. 

There was a soft knock on the door. 

“Enter.” Thranduil said. The door opened and a man entered. As he drew closer Bard could scent him as an omega. He gave Bard a smile and then stood beside Elros. “This is Medulir. He’s Elros’ brother and has been under my protection for five years now.” 

Medulir stepped forward and embraced Bard. Bard tensed for a moment before his sense memory made him return the hug. It had been far too long since he’d been greeted this way. Medulir took a step back and they kissed cheeks. When Medulir returned to his brother’s side Bard learnt heavily against Thranduil. It was really sinking in how much his life had changed and he was struggling to keep up with it. 

“It’ll be lovely to have another omega around. Legolas doesn’t count,” Medulir said. He had the sort of smile that looked like it was permanently on his face. It didn’t even disappear when he was talking. 

“I gathered that,” Bard said. 

“Alright get back to work.” Thranduil flicked his hand towards the room. He didn’t even wait until they were out of the room to sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk and drag Bard into his lap.

Bard moulded his body to Thranduil’s and tucked his head under Thranduil’s chin. It was strange to think that Thranduil was an utter stranger when it felt so right to be this comfortable with him. He was surprised that he wasn’t having more trouble with it. He was sure that all those years as a beta shouldn’t have slipped away at the merest scent of an elite alpha and a new bond. Yet that was exactly what had happened. 

“Tell me about your children.” Thranduil ran a hand down Bard’s back and took a moment to soak up the contact. 

“I have two girls and a boy. My eldest Sigrid is an omega and Bain and Tilda are alphas. Although Sigrid’s only older by a couple of hours as Bain won’t let anyone forget. Bain’s just got to a difficult age where he’s picking fights with every alpha in a mile radius and trying to establish dominance in the household.” Bard laughed softly at his memories of his children. “And Sigrid is attracting a lot of attention at the moment and I’m worried about her. I remember what it was like at that age.” Bard shuddered. 

“And what about Tilda?” Thranduil smiled softly and pressed a kiss on top of Bard’s head. 

“She got into her first fight at school last month. I didn’t know whether to be irritated or proud.” 

“The important question is: did she win?” Thranduil asked. 

“Yes. Gave the alpha boy a black eye.” 

“Sounds fierce. Like their mother I’m sure.” Thranduil tilted Bard’s head up for another kiss and Bard could feel the blush on his cheeks. “How old are they?” 

“Sigrid and Bain are 16 and Tilda is 13.” Bard wiped at his face as tears fell. “I miss them.”

“And they’re all from the same father?” Thranduil caught Bard’s hand and kissed the knuckles, then he wiped Bard’s tears away with a much gentler touch than Bard had used. 

“Yes.” At least this part of Bard’s lies was the truth. 

“Hmmm...You should get changed back into your own clothes.” Thranduil gestured to the Legolas’ practice clothes that he was still wearing. 

“Oh right. Where can I get changed?” Bard asked. 

“Here will be fine.” 

Bard blushed as he slipped off Thranduil’s lap and changed back into luxury clothing in front of his alpha. He tried not to look up as he did it or to invite anything further, and he was relieved when Thranduil made no move to start anything. 

*

Lethuin smiled called a pause to their practice and passed Legolas one of the bottles of water he’d brought with him. They’d missed their practice yesterday because Legolas had wanted to accompany Thranduil to the arena. He’d been worried about Legolas’ safety as he was having to use Thranduil’s security team and his own skill instead of having Lethuin there to protect him. 

“So what’s this new omega like?” Lethuin asked. 

“His name’s Bard and he’s so…I don’t know. When he’s around Ada he’s all submissive and…passive, but when it’s just us he’s…different, more alive maybe?” Legolas sat down against one a wall. 

“Is your Ada pleased with him?” Lethuin sat down beside him. 

“He’s exactly what Ada wanted from what I can tell.” 

Lethuin swigged from his water and watched Legolas out the corner of his eye. There was something off in his posture. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“I can’t hide anything from you can I?” The corner of Legolas’ mouth twisted upwards. 

“I like to think that I know you better than anyone else in the world. So?” Lethuin asked. 

“You…you wouldn’t want me to be like that would you? All submissive and content with marriage and having babies?” Legolas was looking down between his knees and Lethuin took the moment to watch the omega he could almost call his. 

“No, not if it wouldn’t make you happy. I want you to be you, and not what someone else thinks an omega should be. I think you’re perfect the way you are.” Lethuin blushed as he spoke. That was as close to a declaration to love as he’d ever come. 

“Perfect huh?” Legolas looked up with a full smile. 

“Well you could do with some work on not letting your guard down on your left side but other than that yeah.” 

“Shut up. It’s improving.” Legolas laughed. 

“Everyday. You’ll need a new teacher soon. You’re quickly surpassing what I can teach you.” 

“I don’t want another teacher. I only want you.” Legolas leaned in and flicked his eyes down to Lethuin’s mouth. 

Lethuin waited for Legolas to close the gap between them and only then did he wrap his arms around Legolas and pull him close. The rest of their training session would have to wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a few new characters have been added but not many. In case anyone was wondering Elros is the name of a guard in Mirkwood in the hobbit and it's not the twin brother of Elrond. 
> 
> To work out the ages for Bard's kids I looked on the Lord of the Rings wiki and found that the characters for Sigrid and Bain were born in the same year so I decided to make them twins. 
> 
> Legolas decided that he wanted a love interest and I was bit surprised by this as I hadn't planned for him to have one at all. But he pointed at him and said 'want' and I found I had to give in. 
> 
> I also have very little idea where this story is going. It's already bigger than I meant for it to be.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second part of Bard's first day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so much longer than I wanted it to be. Over 2000 words more than I wanted the chapter to be as I prefer to stick to 3000 words per chapter.
> 
> I really hope you like it.

When Bard was changed and taking a moment to enjoy the velvet against his skin Thranduil got up and wrapped his arms around him. Bard pressed his face into the collar of Thranduil’s shirt and moaned. If he wasn’t blissed out by his alpha’s pheromones he would have been ashamed of the way he was acting. 

“You’re beautiful.” Thranduil kissed his hair. 

Bard drew himself away from the silk skirt to look up at the alpha who’d claimed him so thoroughly the night before. It was all the invitation Thranduil needed to kiss him. Strong arms wrapped around him and made him feel safer than he had in longer than he could remember. 

The ringing of a phone between them brought the kiss to a rushed end and Thranduil stepped away from him to take the call. 

“Celebrian, one moment.” Thranduil tapped Bard under the chin and then retreated into a small meeting room off the side of the study. He closed the door behind him and left Bard alone. 

He folded Legolas’ clothes and put them in a pile on a chair in front of the desk. There were a few photo frames on the desk and he walked around it to get a look at them. One of them was of Legolas with two boys that had the same long blonde hair as him. Another was of Legolas and a girl with the longest ginger hair he’d ever seen. The last was of a woman that was lounged behind of this desk with a laugh etched into her body and a champagne glass in her hand. Bard traced the ornate frames of the photographs and smiled. 

What he wouldn’t give to have photos of his children and first alpha here. He hadn’t had enough time to pack personal belongings before he’d fled to the arena and begged to be sold in order to have the money his children needed. Even if he had he would only have taken pictures of his children and not the woman who’d fathered them. It was too much of a risk and there were so few photos of her left now that his kids needed every one of them. His memories would have to be enough. 

Bard was still looking at the photos when Thranduil returned to the room. He stiffened when he saw where Bard was and strode over. He scooped up all the paperwork on the desk and shoved it into one of the draws. 

“I hope you weren’t being nosy. My work doesn’t concern you,” Thranduil said. 

“Actually, I was looking at your photos. Is that Legolas’ mother?” Bard pointed to the woman with the champagne. 

Thranduil’s expression softened and he picked up the photo. 

“Yes, it’s her. Her name was Rhawel and a fiercer beta you won’t find. I knew alphas who’d tremble in her presence. When Legolas would follow her everywhere.” He set the picture back down on the desk. 

“Legolas didn’t have any omega role models then?” Bard asked.

“No and we didn’t make any effort to get him one. It’s good for him to know how to stand up for himself,” Thranduil said. 

Bard looked down at that only for Thranduil to raise his chin again. 

“You’re ashamed of being an omega?” 

“No…Yes…sort of,” Bard said. 

“Don’t be.” Thranduil pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

“So…so who are other people in the photos?” Bard asked. 

“The two boys are my sons. They’re older than Legolas an alpha and a beta.” Thranduil picked up the picture of the three boys. “Elanordor is my eldest by two years and the beta. Celechon is the alpha and I had trouble with him similar to your Bain.” He ran a hand over the picture and set it back down. “You will meet them soon enough although I don’t know when exactly they’ll next be home. This here is Tauriel, and she’s my adopted daughter. An alpha who spent most of her childhood being dragged into trouble by Legolas.”  
Thranduil had a soft smile as he turned away from the photos and focused on Bard. 

“Do you miss not having them all at home?” Bard asked. 

“I prefer to think of it as enjoying the quiet between their visits. This house feels a lot smaller when they’re all home. Now, why don’t we go for a walk? You haven’t had sunlight on your skin today.” 

“I’m not sure I’m really dressed for it.” Bard looked down at himself.

“It won’t take long to find you suitable shoes and a fur. Unless that’s not what you meant?” Thranduil asked. His eyebrows were raised at Bard who looked away. 

“I’m not used to omega clothes. I’ve been dressing like a beta since I stopped breastfeeding Tilda. Not wearing underwear feels all wrong and I keep worrying that these trousers are see-through and this shirt feels…like it’s worth more…than I am.” 

Thranduil leaned back and inspected the trousers, then checked the top. 

“These trousers will be fine unless they get wet, then they might turn see through. As for the value…I can’t answer that in terms that you’d understand.” Thranduil drew Bard’s hands up to his lips and placed a kiss on the back of them. 

“Are you calling me stupid?” Bard glared. He was annoyed that this seemed to amuse Thranduil. 

“No, I mean that there’s no overlap between the two. The shirt was expensive, to you anyway, but your value isn’t financial. You’re so much more than a pleasing object designed to emphasise beauty and wealth. The shirt only serves to compliment you. Can you understand that?” Thranduil asked. 

“I…think so?” 

“Is there anything else that’s bothering you?” Thranduil asked. 

“Not being able to contact my children.” Bard said. 

“You should give them a chance to settle into the change and get used to you having duties to another now.” Thranduil tilted Bard’s face up. 

“I know but…”

“Is there something about your children’s situation that you’re keeping from me?” 

“I…No.” Bard looked away. 

“I see.” Thranduil said. 

“Can we go for that walk now?” Bard asked. 

“Of course.” 

*

The fur was soft against Bard’s skin and tickled when he moved. He was used to much rougher fabric, and the only soft fabric he had was tops that had been worn that way with age. He was wearing a pair of Meludir’s boots until his own clothes were sorted out. They had a fur lining and the outside was suede. He could probably have fed his kids for a week with the money that the boots must have cost.

Thranduil offered his arm and Bard took it with a blush. The turned off the driveway onto a well-maintained lawn with Thranduil leading them to pale gravel path. It circled around the house and then diverted towards a woodland area. Bard got a shiver at the sight of it and Thranduil pulled him closer. 

“Are you cold?” Thranduil asked. 

“No, the fur is very warm.” Bard said. 

“Are you sure? We can return to the house if you’d prefer.” 

“No this is fine. I’d rather not go in there though.” Bard pointed to the woodland. 

“Of course not. You’re not dressed for it.” Thranduil said. “What do you think of my house from what you’ve seen of it so far?”

“It’s huge and very beautiful. I don’t understand why you need so many security teams and…” 

“What is it?” Thranduil asked. 

“Well…I was…that was a lot of food wasted at breakfast.” 

“Does the idea of wasting food upset you?” 

“Yes, I’ve gone days without eating to make sure that my children have something to keep them going.” Bard looked away. He didn’t want to tell Thranduil about what his life had been like in case he got the wrong idea. 

“Leaving so much food behind must have been…upsetting for you then. I assume that Legolas neglected to tell you the eating arrangements of this house. Everyone that lives and works here has breakfast at that table and the kitchen staff have to cater to that. The food is prepared before dawn and will sit there until lunch when what remains will be cleared away. There usually isn’t much left, but I assume that the kitchen reuses what it can by putting it in meals later that day or having it as their own lunch.” Thranduil turned them down a diversion from the path round the back of the house. 

The path joined a dirt path that was heading off further behind the house. It was swept clear and Thranduil paused to pick stray pieces of gravel up and throw them back onto the other path. When he was done he held his arm out for Bard again and lead the way down the path in the direction of the side of the house. It confused Bard that they were doubling back on themselves like that instead of just crossing the grass to where Thranduil seemed to want to take him. 

“Lunch is a private occasion between the friends and family units here. Some people live in the house and others live in the houses on my land. A house comes with the job for my employees and jobs are offered to their family members first before I start looking elsewhere. Myself, my children and now you have lunch in the dining room and it’s just us for that meal,” Thranduil said. 

“You sound like you have a community here,” Bard said. 

“It was Rhawel’s idea originally although I’ve tweaked it over the years. Dinner is a little different, as it’s a very social meal for it. Many of those who have families go home for it but everyone else including guests eat together. It’s very loud and crowded but has a…pleasant feel to it.”

“And there’s enough food for everyone?” Bard asked. 

“Yes, of course. You don’t need to worry or want for anything ever again. I give you my word,” Thranduil said. 

Bard pulled him in for a kiss. Thranduils arms wrapped round him and he was swept up off his feet. Bard threaded his hands into Thranduil’s hair and moaned. He’d surprised himself with how forward was but he couldn’t bring himself to care when Thranduil was touching him so possessively. Thranduil set him down and pulled back. 

“I was planning to take you to the stables but for an hour before lunch but if you prefer we could return to the house and have a repeat of last night,” Thranduil said. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that,” Bard said. 

“It’s to be expected with such a new bond. After your next heat it’ll calm down.”

“I hate my heat.” Bard groaned. 

“When is it due?” Thranduil asked. 

“I don’t know. The beta scent and suppressants messed up my natural cycle.” 

“You took suppressants? Don’t you know how dangerous those things are?” 

“I had other priorities at the time.”

“You wouldn’t have been much help to your children if those things killed you!” 

“So that’s a no to me taking them again?” Bard asked. 

“Definitely. Now let’s get you back inside before you catch a chill.”

“I’m not fragile. I can see the stables.” Bard disentangled himself from Thranduil and continued walking down the path. He didn’t count on Thranduil coming up behind him and scooping him up into his arms. Bard wrapped his arms around Thranduil’s neck as he yelped. “Is it…put me down!”

“When you’re inside and warming up I will make it up to you,” Thranduil said. 

That put an end to Bard’s complaining and he allowed himself to be carried back into the house and up to their bedroom. 

Bard was thrown on the bed where he removed his boots and furs carefully. Thranduil was watching him with a predatory gaze. When the skin of his shoulders came into view Thranduil climbed onto the bed and kissed along them and up Bard’s neck. 

“Do you want me to be gentle or rough?”

*

Thranduil raised his eyebrows at Legolas when he joined them for lunch a few minutes late and sat down gingerly. Legolas avoided his gaze and instead focused on Bard who was in a similar position. He’d grow accustomed to Thranduil’s knot eventually and stretch around it more easily. In the meantime, Thranduil smirked and enjoyed the after affect he had on his bitch. 

“You look like you’ve had a workout, was the one I gave you not enough? Or do you just like being on your back that much?” Legolas asked. 

“Who said I was on my back?” Bard said. He carried on eating his soup. 

“Was your training session more vigorous than usual?” Thranduil fixed his gaze on Legolas who ducked his head and blushed. 

“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” Legolas said.

“I’m bringing Lethuin in for a review. If he’s working you too hard, then maybe I should reassign him…” Thranduil said. 

“No!” Legolas said. “I mean because he’s a really good teacher.” Legolas had gone pink at the ears. 

He’d have to watch Lethuin more often in future to make sure his son was being treated properly. Bard was looking between them with raised eyebrows.

“Can we talk about something else?” Legolas asked. 

Thranduil paused and set his spoon back down into his bowl. 

“If you want to,” Thranduil said. 

Legolas relaxed and resumed eating but as Thranduil glanced over at Bard he saw that he’d also stopped. Bard was staring at Legolas and scenting the air. 

“What’s the matter?” Bard asked at last. 

Legolas jumped and gulped as he glanced between them. 

“I’m fine. What makes you think anything’s the matter?”

“You’re not fine. You’re upset. I can smell it. Sigrid often smells the same,” Bard said. 

“Who’s Sigrid?” Legolas asked. 

“My eldest now stop avoiding the question.” 

“Just because you’re Ada’s omega doesn’t mean that you’re my mother.” 

“Well I could hardly replace a beta could I? Now start talking. Was it this Lethuin that’s gotten you so upset? Did he try something?” 

Thranduil sat back and watched Bard at work. He ran a hand over his mouth and took in Legolas’ posture ready to intervene between the two if it was needed. 

“Leave him out of this. I don’t want to talk about it. Now will you let me get back to my lunch?” Legolas tore off a hunk of break and carried on eating. 

Bard opened his mouth so Thranduil ran a hand over his wrist and shook his head. Bard got the message and carried on eating also. 

Thranduil knew he’d have to deal with this at some point but ever since Legolas was little he wouldn’t talk about whatever was bothering him until he was ready to. Rhawel might have been the only exception, as she could get him to talk about anything.

Legolas dashed off as soon as they’d finished lunch with no mention of where he was going. Thranduil would have to track him down later as there was some work he needed him to do, but for the moment he offered his arm to Bard. Bard ducked his head as he took it and Thranduil didn’t want to think about how long it'd been since such manners had been shown to Bard. 

“I will have to leave you for some meetings but if you wish I could show you the library first?” Thranduil said. 

“That…would be nice,” Bard said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had free time.” 

“I’m afraid you will have an awful lot of it now, but I’m sure you’ll soon find ways to fill it.” Thranduil lead the way to the library and left him there with a kiss on the forehead. “If you get bored then Meludir will be happy for your company. I will see you tonight.” 

“Thank you.” Bard called after him. 

When Thranduil got to his office he found Galion waiting for him. He motioned him inside and they sat in the two seats in front of his desk. 

“Tauriel tried to get hold of you earlier. She left a message.” Galion pulled out a pad and flipped to a page just over halfway through. “Mission finished. Average success. Arkenstone prototype is out of government hands. New orders?” 

“Tell her to find out where Bard’s children are and to report back on their position and state.” It would put Bard’s mind at ease to know that his children were safe and being cared for. “What else?” 

“Elrond wants to know if tomorrow is too early to visit and Celebrian is more concerned that this will keep you from your work.” 

“I talked to her earlier. Remind her that while I have her interests in mind I don’t work for her,” Thranduil said. 

“Gandalf wants a meeting about current hostilities with the Durinson’s, especially after you humiliated Oakenshield in the arena. A very pleasing fight I must add. You haven’t lost your touch.” 

“Tell Gandalf to mind his own business. I have more important matters to attend to.” Like keeping the Arkenstone out of anyone else’s hands. “What news from my sons?”

“Elanordor still has yet to report in. Celechon is having moderate success with the…trafficking issue.” 

“If Elanordor has not checked in by tomorrow I will have to make a deal with Celebrian to send her twins to hunt him down. Has Celechon asked for backup?” Thranduil asked. 

“No, but he thinks that he might be out there longer than initially thought.”

“I don’t want Bard to know about any of this but Celechon’s work especially is to be kept from him. Now, what’s the hiccup?”

“Celechon didn’t say much only that falsifying the records is taking longer expected and that they’re having more resistance at the borders than last time.” Galion inspected his notes in the leather bound book. 

“Is that all?” Thranduil asked. 

“No, Smaug has been showing activity again but it’s minimal: an accessed bank account.” 

“Good. You’re dismissed,” Thranduil stood and walked around his desk. “Oh and fetch Legolas for me.” 

“Of course, Your Majesty.” It was the closest any of his staff came to referring to him by his title. 

Rhawel had come up with the name Elvenking and it had been what he worked under ever since. It was the little things that had stayed since her death that reminded him how lucky he’d been to have had her love. 

Thranduil picked up the photo of her and remembered when he’d taken it. It had been the night they’d acquired the mirkwood paintings and high on success they’d celebrated. Two weeks later she’d found out that she was pregnant with Legolas. He still remembered her fury at him, as they’d agreed that Celechon would be their last. Thranduil had tried to keep the grin from his face as he blamed a ripped condom.

There was a knock on his office door. He set the photo frame down and took a moment to compose himself. 

“Enter.” 

The door opened and Legolas stepped in. He moved with more confidence than earlier and his hair was wet. 

“I was in the bath, what do you want?” Legolas asked. 

“We need to talk about Bard’s wardrobe.” Thranduil stood up and resumed his seat in front of the desk. He gestured for Legolas to take the other one. “I’m putting you in charge of it.”

“You don’t trust him to deal with it then?” Legolas smirked. 

“Of course not.” 

“I can’t believe he went so long pretending to be a beta, why wasn’t he caught?” Legolas asked.

“Could be any number of reasons. Although I don’t think he bribed anyone to turn a blind eye given how unaccustomed he is to luxury.”

“Of course that could be why he didn’t have any money.” 

“That can’t be the reason. Do you really think an omega would compromise his children’s comfort in order to keep hidden? If he’d had the money to start with he wouldn’t have been hiding as an beta,” Thranduil said. 

“Not all omegas are blinded by biological instinct.” Legolas glared at him. 

“You don’t count. You haven’t got children and you were raised to aim higher than that.” Thranduil got up and pulled wine and glasses out of a cabinet at the side of the room. “Do you want some?”

“And he wasn’t raised that way? Yes, as long as it’s red.” 

“Of course he wasn’t. You can see it in his manners. A traditional upbringing followed by a desperate adulthood.” Thranduil poured the wine and passed a glass to Legolas when he returned to his seat. 

“And you can tell that just by looking at him?” Legolas asked. 

“He’s been lying to me.” Thranduil took a sip of his wine and let himself relax. 

“Are you sure? What about? His children?” Legolas asked. 

“No. He reads of truth when he talks about them. It’s this ex-wife that feels false and…there may be something else. I can’t tell yet.” 

“Do you want me to look into the ex-wife?” Legolas sat up a little straighter. 

“No, I’ve sent Tauriel to look into the situation of his children and to report back to me. If nothing unusual comes up about this woman, then I’ll have Tauriel dig deeper into her past.” Thranduil drained his glass. 

Legolas looked from the glass to Thranduil’s face and when he sank back into his seat his face was tight. When Thranduil reached for the bottle for a refill Legolas jumped to his feet and took it from him.

“Ada please. Don’t get drunk. Tell me what’s wrong instead.” 

“It’s nothing I want to concern you with.” Thranduil didn’t want Legolas to treat Bard any differently, which he was sure he would if he told Legolas his suspicions.

“So you’re going to drink to forget? Doesn’t Bard deserve better? If his life has been as troubled as you say, then he needs you to be strong and supportive for him. “

Thranduil hesitated, then set down his glass. Legolas was even slower to put down the bottle. 

“There are signs of…abuse on him. Long healed scars, a bullet wound and scarring that can only come from a violent bonding bite,” Thranduil said at last. 

Legolas went pale and set his own wine glass down. 

“The scars and the bite could be abuse but the bullet wound…” Thranduil looked away. 

“He can’t fight. I was training with him earlier and if he’d have any training at all it would have shown,” Legolas said. 

“Any professional training perhaps. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t know how to survive a pub brawl against an alpha. If I had to put an omega into the field, then I’d put him out of the main action and on the side lines.” 

“You mean as a hacker?” Legolas asked. 

“No. Like a sniper.” 

They sat in silence as Thranduil waited for Legolas to digest the information. 

“Thank you for telling me, Ada. I’ll keep training with him and see if he shows signs of…anything.” 

“Good. Now, back to his wardrobe. He’ll need casual and formal clothes and that includes things that are suitable for my more…private parties. He’ll also need practice clothes if he’s going to be training with you, and don’t forget shoes and furs. The details are up to you.”

“Custom made I assume and no underwear or sleepwear?” Legolas asked. He pulled a piece of paper on of the pad sitting on Thranduil’s desk and started to make a list. 

“Correct, and try to have some fun with it.” Thranduil poured himself another glass of wine. 

“I will. Any idea where he is so that I can take some measurements?” Legolas asked. 

“I left him in the library, and if he’s not there then he might be with Meludir.” 

Legolas folded the piece of paper and gave Thranduil a kiss on the cheek as he left. 

*

Bard spent the afternoon curled up in the library hunting down the few romance books there. He made a note of all the titles they had and picked one. It was an indulgence he hadn’t enjoyed since he was a teenager and he couldn’t keep a smile off his face as he raced through the soppy love story between an omega and a beta who was pretending to be an alpha. 

Legolas interrupted part way through to take his measurements, and Bard hid the book he was reading under a crime novel until Legolas left. Then he sank back into his seat and continued reading. He was halfway through by the time Meludir found him. 

“I’m sorry to interrupt but Thranduil sent me to get you for dinner.” Meludir shifted his feet. 

“Can we stop by my room so that I can leave this there.” Bard marked his page and uncurled from the chair. 

“That’s my favourite author!” Meludir’s eyes lit up at the sight of the book. “Her historical romances are the best.” 

“It’s been so long since I’ve had the time to read that I didn’t know what to start with. Luckily there weren’t too many to choose from. She wasn’t around when I was growing up,” Bard said. 

“We have loads but the guys laugh at Legolas and me if they catch us reading them so we don’t leave them lying around. The ones here are the ones we’ve left for guests or that we don’t mind if something happens to them. That one is Legolas’ but he got a signed copy more recently and left that old one here so that he had more space on his bookshelves,” Meludir said. He was almost bouncing as they turned out of the library. 

“Legolas reads them?” Bard asked. 

“Surprising isn’t it?” 

“So once I work my way through the ones in the library can I borrow some of yours?” Bard asked. 

“Of course! We could be a book club or something!” Meludir blushed. “Sorry, I get over-excited by these things.” 

“That’s ok.” Bard laughed. 

He set the book on his side of the bed and then they went down to the dining room. 

The room was packed and Bard paused in the doorway. He hadn’t realised that there were so many people in the house. There were only a couple of empty seats left and the table almost seemed to sag under the weight of all the dishes on it. 

“Is all this really necessary?” Bard asked. 

“You’d be surprised how much this lot can put away.” Thranduil approached him as Meludir slipped away from them to sit beside his brother. 

Thranduil lead Bard to the seat beside his own and Bard ducked his head as Thranduil pulled out it out for him. Bard was on Thranduil’s left side and he glanced over as he sat down to see that Legolas was on Thranduil’s other side. Beside him was Lethuin who was talking over the table to Elros who was on Bard’s other side. 

The debate between Lethuin and Elros was getting steadily more heated as Bard put a couple of potatoes on his plate and he glanced up so see Meludir rolling his eyes at Legolas. Legolas pointed to the wine glass in front of Elros. When Meludir nodded Bard noticed that while most of the people gathered had either red or white wine he could tell the omegas in the group by the fruit juice in their glasses. 

Legolas and Meludir reached in front of Lethuin and Elros and stole their wine. Further down the table Feren was trying to catch peas in his mouth that were being thrown at him from across the table by a laughing woman. 

Thranduil wrapped an arm around Bard’s waist and rubbed circles on his hip. Bard looked over at him and saw the intent expression on his face. 

“Is that all you’re having? You should eat more than that. You’re skin and bones,” Thranduil said. 

“I’m not that bad. I was well fed at the arena and I’ve already eaten more than I’m used to today,” Bard said. “My children always got the most food and I only saved a little for myself and ate anything they left behind.” 

“I understand but please take a little more even if you don’t think you’ll be able to eat it all.”

“Why?” Bard asked. 

“Because this lot won’t leave enough for seconds, especially at the speed you eat.” 

“Fine but not too much. I don’t want to be intimidated by my own plate,” Bard said. 

“Thank you.” Thranduil kissed his forehead and put another spoon full of honey roasted parsnips on Bard’s plate. 

Bard smiled and looked down. He covered his blush by tucking in. 

“Oi!” Elros said. “You’re not allowed alcohol.” 

Bard looked up at Meludir and Elros as Elros held his hand out for the wine glass while Meludir refused. 

“Says you,” Meludir said. 

“Yes, says me, and since I’m responsible for you, you have to do as I say.” 

“I don’t have to,” Meludir said. 

“You do if you want to avoid the consequences,” Elros said. 

Meludir looked away his eyes down and handed over the glass. 

“Good boy.” Elros put the glass down and turned back to his plate. 

“Shut up.” Meludir sent a dirty look at his fruit juice. 

Bard watched as Lethuin watched Legolas sip his wine, then he leaned in and said something that only Legolas could hear. Lethuin laughed as Legolas nodded and took the fruit juice in front of Legolas for his own. Thranduil didn’t seem bothered by Legolas or Meludir drinking so Bard turned to Elros. 

“Why can’t he drink it?” Bard asked. 

“Because I said so.” Elros raised his eyebrows. 

“That’s not an answer it’s an evasion. Answer the question,” Bard said. He used the same tone he used on Bain when he was being difficult. Apparently the no-nonsense mother tone worked on Elros too. 

“It’s bad for omega,” Elros said and glanced around the table. The conversation was drawing attention from those around them. 

“Not much worse than for an alpha or beta and one glass is hardly going to cause a problem,” Bard said. 

“I still don’t feel comfortable with him drinking it.” Elros said. 

“Ok,” Bard said. He picked up Elros’ wine and drained what was left of it. It was a long time since he’d had wine as it usually didn’t fit into his budget. It tasted nicer than he remembered but perhaps that was because it was undoubtedly a lot more expensive than the stuff he’d been able to afford. He didn’t look at Thranduil in case he was annoyed but he saw the grin on Legolas’ face and the surprised look on Elros’. 

Thranduil put his hand under Bard’s chin and turned it so that Bard had to look at him. Bard whimpered into the fierce kiss pressed against his mouth. When Thranduil pulled back they were both smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter should move on from Bard's first day although I'm not sure what it'll include yet. I have some ideas floating around but I don't know where they slot in yet.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bard gets used to his new home and trouble starts.

Bard grumbled as the bed shifted. He rolled over and looked up at Thranduil who was getting up. 

“Do I need to get up?” Bard asked. 

Thranduil was still naked from last night but he had underwear in his hands. 

“No, Little Dove, go back to sleep.” 

Bard glared at that but the lure of sleep made his eyes fall shut. He woke close to midday and decided that he’d definitely spent too long in bed. He got up and stared at the clothes that Legolas had left for him. The folded outfit sat on the end of the bed and when Bard picked up he pulled a face. 

The trousers were tight brown velvet cut in an omega style that was in fashion at the moment. It always looked to Bard like they were trying to cut off blood supply. The top couldn’t even be called a shirt. It was made of a thin, flowing grey material. The three quarter length sleeves started halfway down his upper arms and the whole thing was held up by elastic around his chest. 

Bard searched the room for alternative clothes but other than the ones that were clearly Thranduil’s he didn’t find any. He was tempted to try on those but they weren’t likely to fit him. With a heavy heart he changed into the clothes that Legolas was torturing him with. 

His skin crawled as he looked at himself in the mirror. His children wouldn’t recognise him, and he hardly recognised himself. 

He was glad that he didn’t run into anyone as he went down to grab a piece of toast to last him until lunch, but as he left the dining room he ran into Meludir. Meludir smiled at him and didn’t even seem to notice what he was wearing. 

“There you are! Legolas wants you to come to the training room.” 

“Does that mean I can change out of these?” Bard asked. 

“I think they look cute,” Meludir said. 

“I feel…submissive,” Bard said. 

“You make that sound like a bad thing.” 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude,” Bard said. 

“It’s ok. Just a different perceptive I guess.” Meludir shrugged. “Come on, let’s go find his Highness.” 

When they arrived Lethuin was there with Legolas. Bard watched from just inside the doorway as they fought. Legolas had the upper hand as long as they were both standing but as soon as Lethuin took his feet out Legolas was on the defensive and all his swift footing couldn’t help him. 

Bard tried to notice all his weak points and the best moves to use against him but he quickly found his heart sinking. He didn’t stand a chance of beating Legolas in a fight for his phone. 

Meludir was sat on a bench at the side of the room and had the bag of clothes beside him. Bard walked over and sat beside him. 

“You should change.” Meludir held out clothes for him. They were the same ones he’d worn yesterday. 

“With a beta in the room?” Bard asked. 

“His attention won’t be on you, trust me.” 

Bard took the clothes and changed as quickly as possible. Meludir took the top and trousers from him and folded them neatly. 

“I wish I could have clothes as nice as these,” Meludir said. His fingers ran over the top. 

“Aren’t they the same kind as yours?” Bard asked. He gestured to the Meludir’s one shoulder top that was a pale green and sat back down. 

“No, it’s not as good quality and you’ll soon be getting clothes of your own.” Meludir looked older when he wasn’t smiling. 

“First new clothes I’ll have had in longer than I can remember,” Bard said. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. My whining probably sounds so…childish.” Meludir looked down at the floor. Misery bled through his scent and Bard couldn’t fight the urge to pull him into a hug. Meludir melted against him and his shoulders started to shake. 

Legolas lost and Lethuin helped him to his feet. Bard didn’t pay attention to the whispered conversation and soft smiles between them. Instead, he rubbed circles on Meludir’s back and adjusted his scent like he did with Sigrid when she was upset. It was a trick every omega mother learnt quickly if they wanted to get any sleep at all, as nothing settled a baby down for the night quicker than that smell. 

“Right, it’s your turn,” Lethuin said to Bard. 

“Take five, Legolas, maybe even ten. Both of you,” Bard said. 

They glanced between each other and then at Meludir, then Lethuin nodded and offered Legolas his arm. Legolas shoved him with a roll of his eyes and grabbed two bottles of water. They left after that. 

“Thank you. I’m sorry for being so…” Meludir cut himself off with a sob. 

“It’s ok. Get it out. You’ll feel better soon and then you can tell me as much as you’re ready to,” Bard said. 

Meludir nodded and buried his face in Bard’s chest. Finally the tears dried up and Meludir pulled back. Bard adjusted his now soggy top so that it wasn't so unpleasant against his skin. Bard reached over and grabbed a bottle of water for Meludir who took it with a nod. 

“Would you like to talk about it?” Bard asked. 

“You’ll think I’m being silly.” Meludir swiped at his eyes. 

“I have a teenage omega daughter I know how painful ‘silly’ things can be.”

“Elanordor is missing. They told us this morning, apparently they haven’t heard anything from him in a week. I know it silly to be this upset because I hardly know him and he can look after himself, but he was so good to me when we arrived here. I can’t…what if something really awful has happened to him?” Meludir asked. 

“That’s not silly,” Bard said. He hesitated then hugged him again. “But maybe nothing’s happened. I mean a week without contact is not that long for a guy his age.”

“You don’t understand. Thranduil has a strict check-in policy with his kids. If they go this long without contacting him then it means something’s wrong.” Meludir curled up against Bard. “No one’s seen Thranduil all day and Legolas has been here since he heard. Lethuin came about an hour ago and Legolas started to get a bit better after that.”

Bard ran his fingers through Meludir's hair until he calmed and managed a small smile.

When Legolas and Lethuin returned Bard was forced to train with Legolas again. It went similarly to the day before and Bard spent more time on his back than he did standing up. By the time they broke for lunch Bard was swearing at Legolas and Meludir was laughing. 

“Get used to it, Bitch. You’ll be spending the rest of your life on your back,” Legolas said. 

“Only with your legs spread,” Lethuin said. 

“Piss off.” Bard changed back into his clothes. “I’m more adventurous than that.” 

“That doesn’t matter to me, but my room is across from yours so keep the screaming down,” Legolas said. He led the way from the training room to the dining room. 

Thranduil was working too hard to join them so Meludir, Lethuin, Elros and an alpha woman called Ruel had decided to eat with Bard and Legolas instead. Bard recognised Ruel as the woman who had had been throwing peas at Feren at dinner the night before. 

“Ruel works in surveillance at the moment,” Feren said. 

“Is surveillance different from security?” Bard asked. 

“Yes, it means that I spend all day staring at the CCTV cameras and trying not to fall asleep,” Ruel said. “I was working in…another area but I got injured and had to be relocated until it’s healed.”

“What was your job?” Bard asked. He didn’t miss the way everyone glanced at each other. 

“That doesn’t concern you,” Legolas said. 

“Is Thranduil the CEO of a company or something?” Bard asked. 

“Or something,” Feren said. He got a glare from Elros for it. 

“But you’re not going to tell me?” Bard asked. 

“My father asked that we didn’t. He wants to wait until you’re settled,” Legolas said. 

*

After lunch Bard retreated to the library with his book and spent the time until dinner reading. Thranduil wasn’t at dinner and Bard didn’t see him for the rest of the day. He must have gone to bed late while Bard was asleep. 

The next day went the same as the one before with Bard only seeing Thranduil for a moment when he got out of bed and told Bard to go back to sleep. 

By the third day Bard was starting to feel neglected and cursing himself for it. He'd been fine without an alpha before he was bonded and now he craved Thanduil's touch. He retreated to bed straight after lunch and snuggled down on Thranduil’s side of the bed just to surround himself in his alpha’s scent. 

He fell asleep like that and didn’t wake until he felt arms around him. Bard moaned before his brain caught up what was happening. He turned his head and melted at the sight of Thranduil there.

“Ruel said that you have hardly left this room all day, are you unwell?” Thranduil asked. 

“No, I just miss you.” Bard shifted around and buried his face in Thranduil’s chest. 

“Oh.” Thranduil adjusted them so that he was sat against the headboard and Bard was in his lap. “I’m sorry. I’ve been occupied with trying to locate my son.” 

“I know. I understand. Meludir told me and that’s why I didn’t want to bother you with…this,” Bard said. 

“You should have told someone. I would have come and found you when I had a spare moment.” Thranduil ran circles across Bard’s back. 

Bard shook his head and clung to Thranduil tighter. He wasn’t sure how long he’d have to wait to do this again so he wanted to enjoy it while it lasted. 

Thranduil manoeuvred Bard so that he was far enough away to kiss. Bard moaned at the feel of lips on his own. Thranduil pulled back and studied Bard’s face.

“When this is over I will make it up to you, but until then do you think you can try and cope without me?” Thranduil asked. 

Loss tugged at Bard’s chest but he nodded. Of course he could do that if it was required of him, just as he could endure the separation of his children. 

“Spend the time with Meludir and Legolas. They’ll take good care of you.” Thranduil gave him another kiss and allowed Bard to settle back against his chest. 

Thranduil could only spare him an hour and then he had to leave. Bard watched him go and tried to work out what to do with himself. He couldn’t get used to having so little to occupy his time. 

He got up and tried to find surveillance. He wasn’t sure where in the house it would be so he started on the bottom floor and worked his way up. It turned out that he missed it the first time and only when he went downstairs to find out if he could get a cup of tea did he see Ruel exit a concealed door off the hall. 

“How’s the exploring going?” Ruel asked. She smiled and approached him. 

“Have you been spying on me?” Bard asked. 

“Keeping an eye on you. Now, what is it you’re looking for?” Ruel asked. 

“A cup of tea and some company.” 

“Well, I’m on break so you’re in luck. Follow me.” 

They fell into step together and she took him past the dining room and what looked like an armoury. Bard paused in the doorway as he stared at the array of weaponry. Most of them were different types of guns but there were knives and large, closed, black cases that Bard guessed contained still more weaponry. 

“What…” 

“That’s supposed to be locked,” Ruel said and pulled the door shut before radioing it in. 

“Why do you need that many guns? What’s going on here?” Bard asked.

“Never you mind. Kitchen’s this way.” She led the rest of the way to the kitchen and Bard took a moment to come to terms with how awful his exploring skills were. He’d completely missed this part of the house. 

The kitchen was crowded with cooks, and everywhere they stood they seemed to be in the way. Ruel directed him to a high counter and a bar stool next to it. 

“I’ll go find someone who isn’t too busy. Wait here.” Ruel disappeared into the bustle of the room and Bard sat down to wait. 

He watched the carrots being chopped and the pastry being made and confident hands that did all the work. The sight made him feel homesick, as Tilda would have loved to watch the activity around him. Cooking was one of her favourite things to do. 

He looked down at his hands on the marble counter top and tried to work out how he could possibly talk to his children. He wasn’t going to get the phone off Legolas for a while yet given that Legolas had only just moved them onto blocking. Thranduil didn’t seem to be inclined to get him a phone anytime soon and he hadn’t seen any landlines around. 

Ruel returned with two mugs of tea and handed one to Bard. He looked at it and sniffed at the green liquid. Mint. 

“Let’s get out of here before they get annoyed with us for taking up work space,” Ruel said with the corner of her mouth turned up. 

“Can I see where you work?” Bard asked.

“You already are.” They walked back out into the hall. 

“I meant surveillance and you know it,” Bard said. 

“The boss won’t be happy.”

“Please? I’m bored.”

“Can’t I take you for a walk around the gardens instead?”

“I want to stay warm. Please?”

“Oh alright. Just this once mind,” Ruel said. 

The surveillance room was dark with a desk and a couple of chairs facing a wall of screens. There was a beta male in there already with his arms crossed and his feet up on the desk watching the screen showing the training room Bard had been earlier. He glanced around when they came in and frowned. 

“What’s he doing here?” The beta asked. 

“Staying out of trouble. This is Orelion.” Ruel gestured for Bard to take her empty seat. 

Bard sat down as Orelion rolled his eyes. Bard looked at the screen that Orelion had been watching before to find that Legolas and Lethuin were in there, only it seemed they’d become side-tracked from their training. Although judging from the rope binding Lethuin’s wrists to the bench it was a planned fuck.

“So how did you persuade her? Did you just flutter your eyes and she gave in?” Orelion asked. 

“I’m not that easy,” Ruel said. 

“You are when they’re your type.” Orelion turned to Bard and smirked when he saw where Bard was looking. “If you weren’t Thranduil’s she’d have tried to get you into bed already.” 

Ruel hmphed and Bard tore his eyes away from Legolas straddling a helpless lethuin with a blush on his cheeks. He hadn’t come across an omega who was dominant in bed before but he wasn’t sure why it surprised him that Legolas was. 

He focused on the other screens and tried to see if there were any obvious blind spots. There weren’t, maybe there weren’t any at all. He tried to piece together the main drive and work out the distance to the main road from the front door. He could make that. It didn’t look any further than he’d sprinted to avoid that group of alphas a month ago. 

He checked the other screens for a better escape route. He almost missed it but as he looked he realised that there were very few cameras in the woodland area. There was one that watched it from the house side, two more inside it and one that focused on where it came out onto a road. 

“What’re you looking for?” Ruel asked. 

“Thranduil, where is he?” Bard asked. 

“In a meeting room off from his study…ah he hasn’t turned the camera off in there look.” Orelion pointed and Bard peered up at it. 

He was in the room he’d gone into to take Celebrian’s phone call. With him was a dark haired man and a woman with hair paler than Thranduil’s. He didn’t recognise them from dinner. The table in front of them was littered with paper, notebooks and tablet screens. 

“Who are they?” Bard asked. 

“Celebrian and her omega Elrond,” Ruel said. 

“They arrived about ten minutes ago and have been in that meeting ever since. I’m not sure they even exchanged greetings,” Orelion said. “You didn’t get me a coffee then?” 

“Forgot,” Ruel said. 

“Liar,” Orelion. 

“Actually, this time I really did. You see there was this really cute omega in the kitchen and he distracted me.” Ruel grinned. 

They both glanced at Bard and grinned which caused him to look away. 

“Ok, you’ve seen this room and that’s all I’m going to allow. The boss is already going to be annoyed with me if he finds out,” Ruel said. 

Bard reluctantly got up and tried to memorise the where the road to the woodland. 

“I want to go for a walk,” Bard said.

“Oh, now you want to go for a walk after you’ve gotten me into trouble.” Ruel was smiling. “Well, we’ll have to see if anyone’s available.” 

“Didn’t you say you’d walk with me?” Bard asked.

“Ooooo, he’s going to get you into trouble.” Orelion was grinning. 

“He’s right. You’re going to get me fired.” Ruel rolled her eyes. 

“If Thranduil brings it up then tell him I’m high maintenance and don’t like to be ignored,” Bard said. 

“You know you’re going to say yes. He’s got that damsel in distress look going on,” Orelion said. 

“I was thinking the unavailable Queen,” Ruel said. 

“Unavailable Queen, or princess in a tower guarded by a dragon, either way he’s rocking it.” 

“Does that makes Thranduil the dragon?” Bard asked. 

“Sounds about right. Alright, Ruel you can skive.” Orelion rolled his eyes. 

“Come on then. Let’s find you boots and a fur,” Ruel said. 

It didn’t take them long to track down the ones he'd worn the other day. Then they were outside in the garden and Bard’s heart was hammering in his chest. 

“Where do you want to walk? The stables?” Ruel asked. 

“Maybe next time. Can we go to the woodland?” Bard asked. 

“Well…ok.” Ruel set a casual pace as they walked along the gravel path. 

“Where exactly are we?” Bard asked. 

“Greenwood.” 

“Oh.” He could make that work. He just had to work out how he was going to get from Greenwood to Lake Town. 

“Is something wrong?” Ruel asked. 

“It just hit me how much things have changed for me. I’ve gone from struggling to find food for my children to living in luxury I couldn’t even dream of.” 

“It takes some getting used to. I try to never take it for granted.” 

“What happened to you that you ended up here?” Bard asked. 

“As soon as I was old enough I ran away from home and joined the army. Do you remember the Mordor attacks a few years ago?” 

“Yes.” No one could forget those. Bard had a special reason for remembering. It was those which had killed his alpha. She’d been one of the first aid responders after the first attack and gotten caught in the next four. She’d lived through three of them. 

“I was in one of the units that was training when the first attack happened. I was caught in the middle of it and I'm the only survivor of that first attack.” Ruel wasn’t looking at him as she spoke. “Thranduil was one of the unsung heroes of that hellish week. When it was over he offered me a job and I had nothing more to lose so I said yes.”

“He was there when it happened?” Bard asked. 

“He arrived between the third attack and the fourth I believe…or maybe he came after the second I don’t remember. This is a grim topic I’m sorry. You didn’t want to come out here and talk about this.” 

They were nearing the woodland now and Bard tried not to give anything away in his body language and scent. 

“The news said it was the Elvenking who was responsible for the attack. I hope they catch him.” 

He heard Ruel suck in a breath and tore his gaze away from the woodland to look at her. She’d gone pale. 

“What’s wrong?” Bard asked.

“The Elvenking is the only reason that there were survivors at all. It was Sauron who was behind the attacks.” 

“Who?” Bard asked. 

“A monstrous man who was killed in the fourth attack. He worked behind the scenes and since then a few of this generals have started groups of their own but they’re nothing compared to what they were with him.”

“I think you’re making him up. There was clear evidence that the Elvenking was behind the fourth attack.” Bard turned away from Ruel and focused on the woodland. 

“I think we should return to the house,” Ruel said. 

“We haven’t gotten to the woodland yet. I want to walk among the trees.” 

“Tough. I’m we’re going back to the house even if I have to carry you.” 

Bard jerked away from her and backed towards the woodland. 

“I’ll make my own way back thanks,” Bard said. 

“Don’t be silly. You’ve gotten me in enough trouble as it is. Now come back to the house.” Ruel took a step towards him. 

As an alpha she would be faster and stronger than him but she said that she’d been injured. So might just have a chance, as long as he didn’t mess it up. He kept backing towards the woodland and saw the frown cross Ruel’s face. She tensed suddenly as her eyes widened and she surged forward to grab him. 

He ducked between her arms and kicked out at her shin. His foot connected and he barely had to time to register her howl of pain as he turned and sprint to the woodland. Once across the treeline he didn’t slow down. He had to stare at his feet in order stay upright. A broken neck was the last thing he wanted. 

The security team would have been alerted by now and they’d soon have him if he didn’t get a move on. The huge gaping holes in his plan were racing through his mind as he kept himself moving. 

He glanced up looking for the first glimpse of the road and not daring to glance behind him. As soon as the road came into view he put on an extra burst of speed from the depths of his reserve and pushed himself. 

Once he was on the side of the road he crumpled to his knees and tried to remember how to breathe. He didn’t want to stay there where he’d be easy to get but now that he’d stopped running he couldn’t seem to get himself to start again. 

The sound of an engine reached him and he gulped in air as his heart sunk. Any moment now Feren or Elros would come round the corner and drag him back. 

He looked up as the car came into view and struggled to his feet. It slowed beside him and Bard blinked at the sight of two bald men sitting there. The younger of the two rolled down the window and Bard choked on the stench of alpha. 

“You alright, Darling? Do you need a lift?” He young man said.

Bard nodded. He didn’t know why his luck was holding but he wasn’t going to question it. 

“Hop in then,” Said the older man. 

Bard opened the door behind them and climbed into the backseat. He hadn’t even gotten his seatbelt on before they were off. He watched the trees zoom passed and tried not to think about how fast they were going. 

Of course, that meant he had to think about Thranduil and how much he was betraying him by doing this. He buried his face in his hands and tried to hold it together. He was a terrible, terrible Omega. 

“Turn the heating up, Bolg,” Said the older alpha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another longer chapter although this time only by 1000 or so words. It's funny because I wrote the first 1000 words and then couldn't work out what to write next. So I sat down to write this afternoon determined to, at least, move the chapter along a little bit. I ended up writing 3000 words and finishing the chapter and now I'm writing this at half two in the morning because I can't wait to share it with you. 
> 
> More characters yay! And Elrond and Celebrian are here although not exactly. And yes I made Elrond an Omega and Celebrian an Alpha. 
> 
> I'm really sorry for the lack of Thranduil and Legolas in this chapter. I tried to include them where I could. 
> 
> Also, I don't like the title of this story as it doesn't feel like it suits it at all. Has anyone got any suggestions?


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bard won't let anyone stop him from finding his kids, and Thranduil just wants to get Bard home safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to submit this last night but the formatting messed up and I was too tired to start again.

Bard’s body was tense as he curled in on himself. His head was still in his hands as he tried to focus on how he was going to see his children and not that he was in a car with two strange alphas. He hadn’t thought this plan through at all. They took a violent corner which had Bard flung against his seatbelt. It bit into his chest and stole a gasp from his chest. 

“Sorry about that, Darling.” Bolg smirked as he glanced back at Bard. 

Bard glared at him and sat up straight. Bolg’s expression changed and Bard looked behind him. They were being followed by a three black SUVs. Bard couldn’t see who were in the vehicles but they were gaining on their car at an impressive rate. 

“The Elvenking. Azog, I thought you said he wouldn’t give us any trouble,” Bolg said. 

“That was before we picked up his omega,” Azog said. 

Bard snapped his head around and opened his mouth to argue that he wasn’t the Elvenking’s he was Thranduil’s. He stopped himself, while they thought he was the omega of the Elvenking they wanted him. If they found out he wasn’t who they wanted then they’d throw him out of the car. Possibly while it was still moving. That didn’t explain why the Elvenking had sent people after the car.

Bolg was fumbling around with something in his lap that Bard could only see when he opened his window and aimed it. A rifle. It was a long time since he’d seen one of those and he stopped thinking. Surging forward he grabbed Bolg in a choke hold. 

“Sit down, Little Bitch!” Azog said. 

Bolg ripped Bard’s hands away from his throat and shoved Bard back. Bard whimpered as his head hit something hard and dots appeared in front of his eyes. 

“Don’t hurt them,” Bard said. 

“Hush now, Bitch.” Bolg aimed the rifle. “They won’t fire on us while we have you.” 

There was a fork in the road ahead. Dul Guldor to the left and Laketown to the right. One of the SUVs sped up the left side and cut off access that way. 

“Shoot them!” Azog said. 

Bolg aimed and fired at the driver’s window, but the glass must have been reinforced as it didn’t break. Bard tried to control his breathing as repressed memories flashed before his eyes. This was looking more and more like his last mission. The one that almost cost him his children. 

All he could do was close his eyes and put his hands over his ears. He held on to the fact that they were on the way to Laketown, once they got there he’d have to find a way to escape the car. 

He wasn’t sure how long he sat like but he was pulled back by the howl of laughter from Azog as they crossed the bridge into Laketown and the SUVs behind them slowed down. 

“What’s going on?” Bard asked. 

“Elvenking hates Civilian causalities. He won’t risk it in populated areas, so it looks like you’re ours!” Azog said. 

Bard gulped and looked around for anything he could use to escape or defend himself with. If there were any more guns in the car they weren’t around the backseat. 

A howl came from the front seats and as Bard looked up he saw a flash of red hair and a wicked smile. Tauriel?

“They’ve busted the tires!” Azog said. 

They came to a halt. Bard threw himself from the car and started running. He glanced around and saw the spike strip the car had driven over. Behind them the three SUVs were driving at a casual pace. 

Bard ducked down an alley off the main road and vaulted three walls to reach the road off his old street. He glanced back and breathed more easily when he didn’t see anyone following him. As he turned into his old street he halted. 

There was a faded blue car in front of his house and a young family unloading it into his home. He stared and tried to ignore the painful beat of his chest. He needed to find his children. Across the road he spotted Percy’s car and ran to his house. The doorbell never worked so he pounded on the glass panel. 

There was movement on the other side and Bard shifted from foot to foot as he waited for the door to open. 

“Bard?” Hilda asked. “Percy, it’s Bard!”

“What?” Percy took the stairs two at a time and joined his sister at the door. 

“You’ve gone up in the world.” The beta woman looked him over with raised eyebrows. 

“Yes, yes. Where are Sigrid, Tilda and Bain?” Bard asked. 

Hilda and Percy looked at each other. 

“They’re not with you?” Percy asked and stepped out onto the street with Bard. 

“No. I need to see them!” Bard clenched his fists to stop their trembling. 

“I haven’t seen them in days,” said Hilda.

“Where’s your alpha? We’ll go look for them.” Percy exchanged a look with Hilda who nodded. 

“Never mind about him. I need to find my children,” Bard said. 

“I know where they might have gone although it wouldn’t be safe for Sigrid there.” Percy accepted his coat from Hilda and set off down the street. 

Bard trotted behind until they came to the main road. Percy stopped and stared at the barricade of SUVs and the sound of gunfire. 

“What the…” Percy said. 

“Never mind that we need to find my kids!” 

Percy swung round to look at Bard with a frown but Bard was already running across the road to safety. Percy followed. 

Tauriel stepped out from where she was leaning against the side of a house and grabbed Bard’s arm. Percy leaped forward to jump to his defence, but Tauriel shrugged him off without difficulty and waved her gun in his face, then turned to Bard. 

“What were you thinking? Can’t you do as you’re told? You could have been killed or worse,” Tauriel said. 

“You know her?” Percy asked. 

“Sort of.” Bard tried to pull his arm out of her grip. “Let go! I need to find my children!” 

“They’re not here I’ve looked for them. Thranduil sent me to see how they are and report back and I’ve yet to track them down.” Tauriel released his arm.

“Who’s Thranduil?” Percy asked. 

“His alpha. Who we’re supposed to be waiting for,” Tauriel said. 

“I can’t wait! I need to find my children.” Bard attempt to push past her but she spun him around and held him against the wall. Her other hand held the gun at Percy’s head. 

It took five minutes for Thranduil to arrive. He looked remarkably unharmed even though he’d come from the action further down the road. In his hands were guns which he holstered at the sight of them. His strides were long and sure as he closed the distance between himself and Bard. 

“Don’t ever do that again.” Thranduil pulled Bard against him and kissed him with bruising force. “You could have been killed, or lost, or used against me, or…” Thranduil shook his head. “Are you hurt?” He stepped away and inspected Bard. 

“No, but I need to find my children! They’re missing!” Bard said. 

Thranduil looked up sharply at Tauriel. 

“It’s true, Sir, I haven’t been able to locate them,” Tauriel said. 

“We were on our way to look for them before Tauriel stopped us. Can we go now?” Bard asked. He tore his gaze away Thranduil and looked over at Percy. 

“I…I’m not taking you there without your alpha’s permission first,” Percy said. 

“That’s never stopped you before!” Bard said. 

“That’s because she entrusted you into my care. Why don’t I go down and look for the kids on my own?” Percy asked. 

“Don’t you dare! I’m going to find my children and there’s nothing any of you can do to stop me.” Bard pulled out of Thranduil’s loosening grip and set off down the road. 

Percy jogged after him so as to keep up and when Bard glanced behind him he saw that Thranduil and Tauriel were following. Both of them had their guns out and alertness bled into their every movement. At least they weren’t trying to stop him. 

*

Elanordor woke with his head on someone’s lap and a dulled pain in his side. His eyes were stuck together and it took an effort to get them to open. Elrohir looked down at him with a small smile that caused Elanordor to blush. 

He looked around them in an attempt to hide his flaming cheeks. They were in the twins’ car, he recognised it from when he and Elrohir had ended up kissing there, and Elladan was driving. 

“What are you doing here?” Elanordor asked and tried to sit up. 

Elorhir’s hand held him in place and Elanordor couldn’t deign that it felt good to have him touch him again. Especially after how they’d ended it. He let himself soak up Elorhir’s body heat and sighed. 

“Rescuing you. You missed all your check-ins,” Elladan said. “It took us a while to find you, idiot.” 

“Not an Idiot,” Elanordor said. 

“Enough, Ela, just rest. We’ll wake you when we’ve gotten you home,” Elrohir said. 

Elanordor wanted to protest but Elrohir’s hands were in his hair and it was so long since he’d felt that gentle touch that he did as he was told. He couldn’t allow himself to sleep, as he didn’t want to miss a single moment of being this close to Elrohir. 

“Get that stupid, soppy look off your face. I don’t want to see my face contorted like that,” Elladan said. 

“Then keep your eyes on the road like you’re supposed to be doing and you wouldn’t have to see it,” Elrohir said. 

“I know you still love him. Why don’t you just stop being an idiot and start dating him again?” 

Elanordor’s heart clenched. He tried not to give away that he was still awake as he focused on his breathing. 

“Keep your nose out of my business and just get as back in one piece. I don’t want to be the one to explain to Thranduil how you crashed the car and killed his son,” Elrohir said. 

“Rein it in would you? I can smell your scent from here.” Elladan coughed. 

“He almost died! I’m allowed to be over protective!” 

It went quiet after that and Elanordor dozed to the feel of hands in his hair and the comforting scent of the man he still thought of as his alpha. 

*

Thranduil watched Bard and the older alpha as they led the way through Laketown. The guns in his hands were comforting weights that grounded him to the situation at hand instead of letting his mind wander to the danger Bard had been in. 

“Who is that?” Thranduil asked. 

“His name’s Percy Bianca. From what I have been able to tell he’s been looking out for Bard and his children ever since Bard’s alpha was killed,” Tauriel said.

“What?” Thranduil asked. “He was married to beta woman.” 

“Not according to the records I found.” Tauriel turned around and walked backwards as her eyes swept over the area. “He was married off as soon as he was old enough to an alpha woman. She worked as a paramedic until their youngest was born.” 

“What happened after that?” Thranduil asked. 

“She got into trouble with the Master of Laketown and they both had to work for him. She died in the Mordor attacks and he was kept on as a sniper until he and his children were kidnapped and used as hostages,” Tauriel said. 

“Which attack?” Thranduil asked. 

“Fourth.” 

“We have an issue.”

“He’ll know you’re the Elvenking soon enough if he doesn’t already,” Tauriel said. 

“I know. How did he escape with his children?” 

“I suppose he knew the Master wouldn’t pay and so from what I could tell he slept with one of his guards, stole his gun and took a shot at Smaug.” 

Thranduil raised his eyebrows. Bard and Percy had turned off the road and down an alley which led to a strip of concrete alongside a muddy canal. They moved with confidence and ease beside the water while Tauriel and Thranduil eyed it and took a slower pace. There was only the room for one person to walk at a time and no barrier between the water and the path. 

“Of all the places to pick up an omega it had to be Laketown?” Tauriel asked. 

“Took a shot at Smaug? How he not dead?” Thranduil asked. 

“It happened right around the time Smaug disappeared. I…'interviewed' one of Smaug’s people and it seems that no one knows if Smaug’s still alive.” 

Up ahead there was a gap in the path and then it widened. Bard jumped the gap and broke into a run around the corner. Thranduil sped past Percy to get Bard back into his sights.

Around the corner was the bridge that they’d waited for Tauriel’s signal at earlier. Bard slung himself under the low entrance and Thranduil hurried after him. There was a shriek and then Bard had an armful of teenager. 

“Tilda!” Bard said. He clung to his daughter and buried his face into her shoulder. 

She was shaking and sobbing as Thranduil scanned their damp surroundings. They were alone so he holstered his guns and took a step forward. Tilda jerked her head round to look at him and quivered. 

“Ma, who’s that?” Tilda asked. 

“That’s Thranduil. He’s…my new alpha.” Bard looked up at Thranduil and raised his chin, however his wide eyes gave away his fear. “Thranduil, this is Tilda. My youngest.” 

“A pleasure to meet you.” Thranduil held out his hand to her. 

Tilda looked at it for a long moment then reached out and shook it. 

“Where’s Sigrid and Bain?” Bard asked. He looked around them but it was clear that only Tilda had been here. 

“I don’t knooow!” Tilda said. “I haven’t seen Sigrid since last week and Bain hasn’t been here in days. He said he’d be back with food but he hasn’t and I’m so hungry!” 

“We should get you both home. She can eat then,” Thranduil said. 

Bard opened his mouth but Thranduil glared at him until he closed it and nodded. 

“Of course. Where are your things, Tilda?” Bard asked. 

They collected up a small, very grubby collection of blankets, books and teddies. Thranduil helped Tilda out from under the bridge while Bard ignored the offer of assistance.

When they got out onto the road Feren was waiting for them with a car which only a little worse for wear. It had a few dents and one cracked window but other than that it was intact. Thranduil opened the door for Bard and Tilda, then walked away from the car so that the conversation would be out of Bard’s earshot. 

Feren was on his phone to Elros when Thranduil approached and Tauriel was surveying the area. 

“I want to move out as soon as possible. We’re already on thin ice by fighting on the Master’s territory there’s no need to antagonise him further,” Thranduil said. 

“What was the casualty number?” Tauriel asked. 

“None dead, three bullet wounds, oh and Legolas managed to get his hand sliced by Bolg’s knife. He’s on his way back with the other casualties,” Thranduil said. 

Feren put the phone away and gave them his full attention. 

“The clean-up is almost done and we’re just waiting for your next order,” Feren said. 

“We head back home. You too, Tauriel. Spend the night there and then resume your search for the kids in the morning.” Thranduil looked behind him where Bard had settled Tilda into the car. 

“Should I broaden my search for them or stick to Laketown?” Tauriel asked. 

“Treat it has a missed check-in and use any means necessary. If you have to torture the Master’s men then do so. I’ll deal with the consequences. I want them found. Oh and pay that Percy before we leave,” Thranduil said. 

“Yes, Sir.” She turned and tracked down Percy. 

“Anything else to report?” Thranduil turned back to Feren. 

“No, boss. Shall I let Galion know to prepare a room?” Feren asked. 

“Have him put her in the family corridor.” They’d have to put Bard’s other children there also, most likely in the rooms reserved for the grandchildren he doubted he’d ever receive.

He climbed into the car beside Bard and glanced over at Tilda to find her wrapped up in Bard’s fur. She was snuggled against her mother and Thranduil smiled at the sight. Bard scent was sweet with contentment. It wouldn’t last, not with Bard’s twins still missing but Thranduil intended to enjoy the smell while it was there. 

Feren got into the driver’s seat and started the car to signal to Tauriel to hurry up. She jogged across the road to join them and Thranduil tore his gaze away from Bard to watch Percy walk away.

“Where are we going?” Tilda asked. 

“Home,” Bard said. “Where you’re having a bath.” 

“But Ma! Do I have to?” 

*

Elanordor woke in his own bed between Elrohir’s legs, and his head resting on his chest. Elrohir was talking to Elladan across the room. His hands ran through Elanordor’s hair, when the fingers traced up his neck Elanordor whimpered. Elrohir jumped and looked down. 

“Oh, you’re awake. Sorry, I was worried you might choke on your own vomit.” Elrohir shifted to extricate himself. 

“No, you weren’t. You just wanted to hold him,” Elladan said. 

“Please stay.” Elanordor reached out and gripped his wrist. 

Elrohir paused. 

“Stop it you two. You’re driving me up the wall with all your pining. Did you know he looks at pictures of you before he goes to sleep at night?” Elladan said. 

“I will kill you. Slowly,” Elrohir settled back and Elanordor only just held in a happy noise. 

“Bye, Love birds.” Elladan dashed from the room laughing. 

Elrohir looked away from him and his fists stayed at his sides. 

“I’m sorry. You can leave if you want. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” Elanordor sat up and stared at the wall. 

“I…your family are on their way back. I should leave you to rest.” Elrohir didn’t move. 

“I’ve missed you,” Elanordor told the wall unable to voice the truth to Elrohir. 

“I think it’s the longest we’ve been without talking.” 

“Did it…I mean did I…Do you miss it? Us?” 

“Yes, every day.” 

“Why…why did we break up?” asked Elanordor. 

“You weren’t happy, Ela, and I couldn’t bear to hurt you like that.”

“I hardly remember what we fought about. It seems stupid now. Did you know that Legolas hid my phone and changed my email password so that I didn’t contact you and beg you to come back? I’m glad you didn’t seem me like that.” Elanordor looked down at his hands. 

“If you had I wouldn’t have been able to tell you no. Elladan’s been getting sick of me.” Elrohir wrapped tentative arms around Elanordor’s waist. 

Elanordor leaned back and tilted his face up so as to look at his alpha’s face. Elrohir was looking down at him with wet eyes. 

“Ada only sent me on that mission so that I would stop thinking about you. I guess I’m out of practice without you there to watch my back.” 

“I hate it when you go out on jobs, especially on your own. I know you hate me for it but I still think he treats you and Legolas wrong. He should keep you here and let Legolas go out into danger.” Elrohir couldn’t look at him. 

“Legolas is an omega and I’m a beta. It’s the right way round.” 

“That thinking completely disregards personality and temperament. Look, Ela, if we’re just going to get into this argument again then things can’t work between us. You know where I stand on the subject.” 

“I doubt needing to be rescued helped my case,” Elanordor said. 

“I nearly had a heart attack when Ada told us. I was so scared I’d find you dead or not at all. Please don’t let your Ada send you on jobs again on your own.” 

“I doubt he’ll let me,” Elanordor said. 

“Good. You’re always happier at home anyway.” 

“If you call me an omega again-” Elanordor was cut off by the kiss pressed to his lips. 

“You know I can’t help but treat you like one. You’ve always seemed more like one than Legolas ever has. If we were to try again I wouldn’t be able to change that.” 

“I want to try again. I can’t keep trying to go on without you. I know that makes me pathetic.” Elanordor looked away. 

“Look at me.” 

Elanordor resisted for a moment but then looked back up at him. 

“Yes?” Elanordor asked. 

“It doesn’t make you pathetic. It just makes you mine.” Elrohir leaned down and kissed him again. 


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bard finds out who his alpha is and Thranduil finds out more about Bard's past.

Thranduil exited the car and watched as Bard got out the other side after Tilda. The break in his normal manners made Thranduil raise his eyebrows. Tilda’s eyes were wide and her mouth hung open as she stared up at the house. 

“We live here?” Tilda asked. 

Thranduil smiled and Bard pushed her hair out of her face. His face was soft and he didn’t look away from his daughter any longer than necessary. Elladan walked towards Thranduil with a controlled stride. 

“Sir, Elanordor is home and safe. He’s resting up in his room. Is there anything you require?” 

“No, but you may stay for as long as you wish,” Thranduil said. He’d have to go up to Elanordor and check for himself that he was alright. 

“Thank you.” 

“Are your parents still here?” Thranduil asked. 

“They are. Would you like me to give them a message?” Elladan asked. 

“Send them my apologies and that I will resume business with them tomorrow .” 

Elladan returned to the house and Thranduil turned back to his new family. Tilda wouldn’t move, no matter how Bard urged her, instead her eyes stayed on Thranduil. He walked over to them and placed his hand on Bard’s arm. Bard tensed. 

“Take her up to our bathroom she can use the bath there until Galion has sorted out her room. I will have Tauriel dig out some of her old clothes for her,” Thranduil said. 

“Thank you,” Bard said. He managed to get Tilda into the house. 

“How many days worth of clothes do you want me to find?” Tauriel asked. She stepped forward from where she’d been leaning against the bonnet of the car. 

“A week’s worth? She’ll need new clothes but I want them to be custom made so she’ll have to wait awhile for them,” Thranduil said. “Get Legolas to help you it should keep him out of trouble.”

“Nothing can keep him out of trouble.” 

Thranduil followed Bard and Tilda at a slow pace and made sure that they disappeared into his and Bard’s room before he knocked on the door of his son’s bedroom. There was a muffled scrambling from the other side of the door and Thranduil decided that it might be best to wait rather than walk in and possibly get an eyeful. 

The door was opened by Elrohir whose clothes were crumpled and his cheeks had a faint flush. He stepped aside for Thranduil to enter and stared at the floor. 

“I was making sure he was resting, sir.” Elrohir hovered at the door. “Would you like me to leave?” 

“Is that what you call it?” Elanordor asked. He was slumped against his pillows and made a whine in the back of his throat. 

“Stay and make sure Elanordor doesn’t get himself into any more trouble.” Thranduil grabbed a chair from across the room and set it beside the bed. He indicated for Elrohir to sit in it and ignored his son’s pout. “What happened?” 

“I got careless and didn’t watch my back closely enough. I’m sorry, Ada, it won’t happen again.” Elanordor met his gaze. 

“No it won’t, because until you can prove yourself capable of such missions again you will be staying here and helping to train Bard and his children,” Thranduil said. “And I expect a more detailed account of what happened by tomorrow morning.” 

“Yes, Sir. Who’s Bard?” Elanordor asked. 

“My omega.” 

“Is he safe now?” Elrohir asked. 

“Why wouldn’t he be safe?” Asked Elanordor. 

“He managed to escape to find his children and got himself kidnapped,” Thranduil said. 

“He escaped? From here? That’s brilliant. When can I meet him?” Elanordor asked. He was grinning and Thranduil was pleased to see him look happy after so long with that lost expression. 

“Dinner, unless you’re not rested enough. I will have to leave that up to Elrohir to decide.” Thranduil gave his son a kiss on the forehead and left the room. 

*

Bard waited on his bed for Tilda to finish her bath. He stared at the wall and ran his hands over the fur he’d worn earlier. Now that Tilda wasn’t there he couldn’t ignore the dawning truth. 

The door of their bedroom opened and Thranduil entered. He crossed the room and pulling a resistant Bard into his arms. 

“She’s safe now and I’ll find your twins before long. Please try to relax,” Thranduil said. 

“How can I?” Bard wanted to pull away but his body was against him. “You’re the Elvenking aren’t you?” 

“Yes. I planned to tell you when you were more comfortable here,” Thranduil said. 

Bard was so tense that when he managed to drag himself away from Thranduil there were aches up his sides. 

“It’s your fault.” 

“What is?” Thranduil frowned. 

“Everything. My alpha’s dead because of you. My children have grown up starving because I couldn’t get the income to feed them regular meals. Sigrid and Bain are missing because I had so little money that I had to make a prize of myself! You disgust me!” 

“And now I’m here to protect you and give them every luxury they can think of. But that’s not the point.” 

“Then what is the point?” Bard couldn’t look at Thranduil in case the urging of his body to submit to his alpha became too much to ignore. 

“You lied to me and I omitted the truth,” Thranduil said. 

“So?” Bard asked. 

“How long until Tilda leaves the bath?” Thranduil asked. 

“Ages. She’ll be too blissed out for a while yet. You should have seen her face when she realised she’d be able to have bubbles.” Bard smiled. 

“She can have all the bubbles she wants. Now I want you to tell me why you lied, and in return I will tell you about that fourth attack.”

“You’ll tell me how my wife died? Don’t you think I already know? It was all over the news! The fourth attack was unnecessary! They had already started getting people out before it happened!” Bard jumped to his feet and paced up and down twice then returned to the bed. 

“They were getting out because I was getting them out, but it wasn’t fast enough and Sauron wasn’t about to see his carefully laid plans go to waste. I had Celebrian and Elrond on the outside to collect those I sent through and I entered the danger zone with my people. We got the omegas out before Sauron confronted us, and then I had to make tough calls.”

“What like?” Bard asked. 

“I had to decide where to detonate bombs and how many people I would leave in those zones so as not to alert Sauron beforehand. I did kill your wife although I don’t remember her. She was just one of the people who I sacrificed to minimise damage and stop Sauron.” Thranduil refused to look away from the accusation in Bard’s eyes. 

Bard threw himself at Thranduil and slammed his fists into his chest. Thranduil caught his wrists and in one hand and flipped him over before Bard could start to use his knees. He trapped Bard beneath him and settled between Bard’s spread legs. Bard stilled and gulped as he stared up and Thranduil. 

“I won’t hurt you but I won’t let you attack me either. Do you understand? I won’t have us work out our problems that way. I won’t apologise for sacrificing your alpha, as I only did what I had to. I will apologise for allowing you and your children to slip through the cracks. You should have received compensation for her death and my protection,” Thranduil said. 

Bard spat in his face. Thranduil whipped it away and cleaned his fingers on the bedcovers beside Bard’s head. 

“Don’t make me discipline you. I don’t want to but if you continue to be unreasonable I will have no choice but to remind you of your place until you calm down,” Thranduil said.

“And you expect the threat of being punished to calm me down?” Bard asked. 

“I expect it to remind you that your current actions won’t help you.” 

“I hate you.” 

“Your spirit is beautiful.” Thranduil smiled. “And I intend to treasure you.” 

“Urgh!” Bard flopped his head back onto the bed and glared up at the ceiling. “I don’t even know how to answer that.” 

Thranduil smiled, sat up and took his weight off Bard. Bard stayed where he was. 

“Why did you lie to me?” Thranduil asked. 

“I didn’t want you to look her up and find out my past. I was scared that if you knew that I’ve…killed people then you’d treat me badly or pass me around.” Bard swiped at his face and Thranduil caught his wrists again only this time so that he could wipe the tears with a gentler touch. 

“I can understand that. You must have been terrified when you were at the arena.” Thranduil kissed the palms of Bard’s hands. 

There was a knock on the bedroom door. 

“What?” Thranduil said. 

“I have clothes for Tilda,” Tauriel said. 

“Bring them in and then leave,” Thranduil said. 

Tauriel came in and set the clothes down on the chair, as she turned to leave Bard called out her name. 

“Yes?” She asked. 

“Thank you for stopping the car.” Bard couldn’t hold her gaze.

“I’m glad that you’re unharmed. I’ll find your children,” Tauriel said. 

“It was nice to meet you,” Bard said. 

“No it wasn’t but I’m sure we’ll have a chance to get to know each other soon.” Tauriel smiled. 

The door of the bathroom opened and Tilda stepped out bundled up in a couple of towels. Bard sat up and pulled his legs underneath him. 

“How do you drain the bath?” Tilda asked. 

“I’ll do it, but change into these first.” Tauriel handed Tilda some clothes off the top of the pile she’d brought in. 

Tilda disappeared back into the bathroom and five minutes later she returned fully dressed with a hairbrush in her hand. 

“Can you do my hair please?” 

“Come up here then,” Bard said. 

Thranduil shifted so that his back was against the headboard and Tilda could get to her mother. She sat in front of him and passed back the brush. Tauriel emptied the bath and then leant in the doorway to watch Bard battle Tilda’s hair. 

“Did you even try to brush this while I was gone?” Bard asked. 

“Yes! At least twice!” Tilda said. She looked over at Tauriel and smiled. “I really like your hair. It’s so long and bright.” 

“That’s because she brushes it.” Bard took out a sparkly hair clip and put it between his teeth. He glanced over at Thranduil who was watching him and Tilda with a warm smile. 

“What’s your name?” Tilda asked. 

“Tauriel. What’s yours?” 

“Tilda. Do you know where my brother and sister are?” 

“No, but I’ll find them. Did you know you have more siblings now?” Tauriel said.

“You want to do this now?” Bard asked. He wasn’t having much luck with Tilda’s hair. “I think I might have to cut the hairband out.” 

“No! That’s my favourite one.” Tilda jerked her head away from him and yelped when her hair took the brush with it. 

“Stay still!” 

“What does she mean I have more siblings? Are you pregnant already?” Tilda asked. 

“Not that we know of,” Thranduil said. 

Bard glared at him and Tauriel smirked. 

“Thranduil already has children like I have you, Sigrid and Bain. Only his children are all grown up.”

“How many?” Tilda asked.

“Four,” Thranduil said. “Three of them are at home at the moment but Celechon is on holiday.”

“That’s a weird name,” Tilda said. 

“Don’t be rude.” Bard removed the hairbrush from her hair and started on the ends again. 

“But it is!” 

“Tilda.” 

“Sorry.” Tilda shrugged. 

“Speaking of rude, you need to apologise to Ruel,” Thranduil said. 

Bard ducked his head and avoided everyone’s gaze. Tilda looked round at him and then over at Thranduil. 

“What did he do?” She asked. 

“Tilda, we’ve talked about this. Don’t talk over me like I’m not here,” Bard said. It was a bad habit that she’d picked up from her Da and Bard’s Da. They used to talk over him all the time. 

“Fine. What did you do?” 

“I attacked her while I was trying to find you,” Bard said. 

“You hurt someone? If Da was still alive she’d spank you for that! She didn’t like it when you got into fights.” Tilda’s eyes were wide and Bard buried his face in his hands. 

“Ma?” 

Bard thought he might be sick. He dropped the brush onto the bed and rushed for the bathroom. It was only when it was locked behind him that he relaxed. He sank down against the closed door and pressed his palms to his eyes. Memories played out behind his eyelids of all the times when Anisa would put him in his place. 

After a couple of minutes, there was a quiet knock on the door. Bard got up and opened it. Thranduil stood there and he took a moment to watch Bard’s face. 

“Tauriel’s taken Tilda for a look around, can I come in?” Thranduil asked. 

Bard nodded and stepped about of the way. 

“You’ve been crying. Come here.” He opened his arms and Bard stepped into them. “You’re safe I swear.” 

“I didn’t want you to know about that.” Bard pressed his face into Thranduil’s neck. He breathed in Thranduil's scent as it washed over him and brought him comfort. 

“How does she know?” Thranduil asked. 

“Anisa was old-fashioned. She never saw any issue with punishing me in front of our kids and the punishments were often physical. She never belittled me.” 

“But she did humiliate you?” 

Bard nodded. 

“I’ll never discipline you like that and I’ll take every step I can to ensure you’re never humiliated or belittled. Any discipline I give you will be agreed between us before hand or will simply be a reprimand. Is that ok?” Thranduil pulled Bard’s head back so that he could look into his face. 

“And never in front of anyone? Especially not my kids.”

“You have my word,” Thranduil said. 

“Ok. That sounds ok.” Bard pressed his face back into Thranduil’s neck and breathed his scent in deeply. 

“Why did she allow you to become a sniper?” Thranduil asked. 

“The Master paid her a lot for my services, but the rest of the time she kept me at home to care for the children.” 

“Which did you prefer?” Thranduil asked. 

“Why?” Bard looked up at Thranduil. “It’s not like it matters.”

“Of course it does. I can offer you either of those lives and I want to give you the one that will make you the happiest.” 

“You really mean that?” Bard asked. 

“Yes.”

“Do I have to choose now or can I think about it?” Bard asked. 

He already knew which one he wanted but he wasn’t ready to admit it just yet. 

“Take as long as you need.” 

Bard dragged him into a long kiss. When he broke it Thranduil scooped him up and placed him on their bed. Bard straddled him and pulled kisses from Thranduil’s willing lips. 

*

Lethuin nodded to Tauriel and the little girl with her as they passed him. He was stood outside Legolas’ room and knocked again on his door. There was a grunt in response and Lethuin slammed his fist against the wood. 

“Go away,” Legolas said. 

“Let me in. I want to take a look at your hand.” Lethuin tried the handle again but the door was still locked. 

“It’s fine. I’ve already treated it.” 

“Let me in! I just want to see you. Please?” Lethuin asked. 

“What do I get if I do?” Legolas asked. 

“Anything? I’ll give you anything. Do you really need to ask?” 

“Not really.” Legolas opened the door. “I just wanted to make sure that nothing had changed.” 

Lethuin stepped inside and kicked the door closed behind him. Legolas pushed him against it as he kissed him. When they broke apart Lethuin traced Legolas’ face. 

“Why would anything have changed? You were incredible out there today.” Lethuin brought Legolas’ bandaged hand up and examined it. “Especially when you were fighting Bolg. I think you’re already a better fighter than me.” 

“I keep expecting you to get all dominant and possessive with me. I don’t want to lose the way you treat me like an equal,” Legolas said. “He cut me and I only managed to give him bruises.” 

“I don’t want to lose you. I don’t care what you are only who you are. You know that right?” 

“Ok, enough of this. Let’s take this to the bed and you can show me just how incredible I was.” Legolas grinned and walked backwards to his huge bed pulling Lethuin along with him. 

“With pleasure.” Lethuin pushed Legolas back onto the bed and straddled him. “Do you remember how to do that flip I showed you?” He kissed along Legolas’ neck and pulled open his shirt to get to his chest. 

“Hmm, perhaps I need more practice.” Legolas laughed and switched their positions. 

“I think you’ve got it.” Lethuin gasped and watched as Legolas pulled open the box at the end of his bed. “Do we have time?”

“Rope, blindfold, gag or all three?” Legolas asked. 

“Rope and blindfold. I want you to make me scream.” 

*

Bard was cradled against Thranduil’s body as they nestled against the headboard. He his hands against Thranduil’s naked chest and glanced around for the discarded shirt. It sat in a heap on the floor with Bard’s trousers. The fur was wrapped around Bard's waist to cover his naked lower half. 

Thranduil slid his hand up the back of Bard’s shirt and rested on his spine. 

“Tell me about her?” Thranduil asked. 

“Who?” 

“Your first alpha.”   
“Oh. Are you sure?” Bard asked. 

“Of course.” 

“When I turned eighteen she paid my Da triple the amount he thought I was worth. She wouldn’t have had to pay that much if she’d pretended to not be very interested in me, but she didn’t care. She’d courted me for over a year at that point and so he raised the price. I thought she’d change her mind when she heard how much he wanted but she handed over her life’s savings without an argument.” Bard rested his head against Thranduil’s shoulder. 

“We lived in a grubby little ground floor flat with a damp problem for two years and we ate the cheapest food we could get our hands on so it all tasted disgusting. For those two years she let me work because we didn’t have children yet and we needed the money,” Bard said.

“Where did you work?” Thranduil asked. 

“Percy’s house doing his paperwork. He paid as much as he could afford to, which was less than what I would have been entitled to if I was a beta but Anisa knew I’d be safe there and it kept me busy so neither of us minded.” 

Thranduil’s hand that wasn’t against Bard's spine cupped his thigh and made Bard’s breath hitch. He tried to ignore it and remember where he’d got to. 

“After that we moved into a small house that was in a horrible neighbourhood even by Laketown’s standards but the house was clean and had a second bedroom. Anisa and I were keen to have kids and I didn’t mind giving up the job for that. She was great with the kids when they came along and spent as much time with them as possible given her job at the hospital.”

“How did you end up becoming a sniper?” Thranduil asked. 

“My Da was really into hunting and shooting so when the Master got into power he hired him. He was in charge of training people in weaponry and the only way he agreed not to teach my two-year-old son how to use a knife was if I agree to come over four times a week and learn how to use a sniper rifle. Anisa didn’t know at first, as he made me tell her that I was just taking the kids over to see their grandparents.” 

“How did Anisa end up in the Mordor attacks?” Thranduil asked. “They weren’t anything to do with Laketown.” 

“When she heard what happened she and a few others with medical training under the Master’s employ turned their backs on him and went to help those who had been caught in the first attack. He didn’t do anything to help them when they got trapped, instead he left them to die and gloated that if I wanted to keep myself and my children safe and fed I’d have to work for him full time.” Bard looked away. He still remembered getting the news of her death when the fatality lists were posted. Up until that point, he’d held onto the hope that she’d come back to them. “I didn’t know what else to do.” 

“You did the right thing. I’m sorry that I missed you and your family. It didn’t cross our minds that the Master hadn’t sent her and so wouldn’t compensate you. It was a naïve mistake,” Thranduil said. 

“I…I forgive you, sort of.” Bard wiped his eyes on the sleeves of his shirt. 

“Thank you. That’s more than I deserve.” Thranduil kissed his forehead. “Come now, we need to get ready for dinner.” 

Bard nodded and waited for Thranduil to get up and hand him his trousers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm slightly worried that I made Tilda sound too young.


	7. Chapter Sevem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the chapter is up! I'm sorry that it took me so long and as an appology I'm going to be posting the scene between Legolas and Lethuin that I wrote to try and get through my writers' block.

They arrived early to dinner. Thranduil pulled Bard’s chair out for him and Bard sat down. The were only a few other people there. In Legolas and Lethuin’s seats were an alpha and omega that Bard didn’t recognise. 

“Bard, this is Celebrian and Elrond,” Thranduil said. “Celebrian, if you want to talk business before tomorrow then I suggest we take a few minutes now, because I will be otherwise engaged for the rest of the day.”

“I understand.” The alpha woman got to her feet with a nod towards Bard. “Lead the way.”

Bard watched them leave then turned his attention back to Elrond. Elrond’s gaze on him was intense and it took all Bard had to return the look. He wasn’t in the mood to submit to another omega. 

The side of Elrond’s mouth quirked up as he got to his feet, and he grabbed his empty glass. Bard followed him with his eyes as he walked around the table. He started when Elrond leaned in and kissed his cheek. The traditional embrace was exchanged for hands placed on his shoulders and Bard only just remembered in time to kiss Elrond’s cheek also. He didn’t go for the second kiss and instead grabbed Bard’s own empty glass and took it over to the sideboard where the jugs of juice currently sat. They’d be moved to the table later when the food was brought through. 

“Do you have a preference?” Elrond asked. 

“Pineapple, please. Shouldn’t I be the one serving you?” Bard asked. 

“Probably.” Elrond returned to the table with the now filled glasses and handed Bard’s over. “I was surprised to hear about your escape. I assumed Thranduil would want absolute submission from his omega.” 

“But Rhawel wasn’t submissive was she?” Bard asked.

“No, at all, but she was a beta. You’re not.” 

“Submission…doesn’t come easily to me anymore.” Bard looked away. 

Elrond nodded and glanced up at the door as two identical alphas walked in with who Bard was sure was Elanordor. The twins sat down beside Elrond, and Elanordor took the seat beside Bard. 

“Hello, you’re Bard, right? The omega that half the household is talking about.” Elanordor looked Bard up and down. “You’re not what I was expecting.” 

“I was saying the same thing,” Elrond said. 

“I’m Elanordor.” He held out his hand to Bard. 

“I know. There’s a photo of you and your brothers on Thranduil’s desk.” Bard took the hand and shook it with a smile. The greeting was one he was much more familiar with. “I’m glad that you’re home safe.”

“Aren’t we all,” One of the twins said. “I’m Elrohir.”

“Elladan,” Said the twin sat closest to Elrond. 

“Nice to meet you.” He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to tell them apart. Perhaps there was a trick to it that he'd have to learn. 

“Have you two worked it out now?” Elrond asked. He looked from Elrohir to Elanordor. 

“We’re getting there.” Elanordor looked down at the table. 

“Finally! I don’t have to deal with Elrohir’s moping anymore!” Elladan slapped Elrohir on the back. He then let out an ‘oof’ and Bard assumed he’d been kicked. 

“Shut up. Bard doesn’t want to hear about his stepson's love life,” Elrohir said. 

“I’m merely getting him up to speed.” Elladan was grinning as he turned to Bard. “It was so bad that Legolas, Tauriel and I were plotting how best to shut them in a cupboard until they worked it out. Luckily all it actually needed was Elanordor’s kidnap, near death and the resulting rescue mission. You’re welcome.” 

Bard turned to look at Elanordor who was avoiding eye contract. Elrohir couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the beta though. 

“What were you doing?” Bard asked. Then he remembered that Thranduil was the Elvenking. “Actually, I probably don’t want to know. Are you alright?”

“I am now. A few hours longer and I might not have the use of my legs anymore.” Elanordor got to his feet and poured himself a glass of red grape juice. “I probably shouldn’t be telling you this. Ada wouldn’t be happy if I scared you.” 

Bard was surprised that he’d gone for juice instead of wine which he brought to the table when he sat back down. He poured wine into Elrohir and Elladan’s glasses and then set it out of the way of where the food would be placed later. Elrohir smiled at Elanordor who blushed. Bard watched them as he noted what a traditionally omega action Elanordor had just performed. 

“I wouldn’t worry about that. I must confess that I’ve caused such injuries in the past. I found I actually preferred taking the headshots because at least they wouldn’t be subjected to torture at the hands of the Master of Laketown and his people.” It was a surprising relief to be honest about it now that he’d confessed it to Thranduil. 

Elladan choked on his wine as Elanordor and Elrohir stared at him. Elrond just sat back in his seat with his intense gaze focused on Bard once more. 

“And Ada knows about this?” Elanordor asked. 

“Yes. Although he only found out today,” Bard said. 

Elladan’s coughing turned to laughs and Bard was saved from further questions about his past by the arrival of Tilda, Tauriel, Legolas and Lethuin. Tilda’s hair was in a complex braid threaded with fake flowers and little jewel clips. Her eyes were wide as she stared around the room. 

“Tilda,” Bard called. 

Tilda’s eyes snapped around to him and she rushed over. 

“Ma! Look what Tauriel did with to my hair!” 

“Very nice! Now where are you going to sit, because if you want to sit next to me you’ll have to ask your step-brother very nicely.” Bard pointed to Elanordor who was quickly pinned by Tilda’s scrutiny. 

“More brothers! Urgh! Bain’s bad enough. I’m going to sit by Tauriel!” Tilda gave Bard a hug and took a seat between Legolas and Tauriel. Legolas had taken the seat beside Elanordor while Lethuin was in an intense discussion with Feren and Elros. 

“Don’t do that again.” Legolas clapped Elanordor on the back which quickly turned into a body crushing hug that had Elanordor yelping. 

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to. Ada’s as good as grounded me,” Elanordor said. 

“Good, although I don’t think it’s enough. Elrohir should put you over his knee and spank you until you beg for mercy.” Legolas let his brother go.

Bard was glad that Tilda was too engrossed in talking to Tauriel to hear. Elanordor’s face had gone pink and Elrohir looked at his beta like he was considering it. Elladan laughed and exchanged looks with a smirking Legolas. 

“Shut up before you end up wearing grape juice.” Elanordor picked up his glass. 

“Careful or Elrohir might be forced to take you in hand,” Legolas said. 

Bard wasn’t sure what would have happened next if Thranduil and Celebrian hadn’t returned at that moment causing the boys to settle down. Thranduil greeted Bard with a kiss as he sat beside him. Food started arriving soon after and Bard saw that everyone had appeared while he’d been listening to Legolas and Elanordor.

The chatter of the room was soon replaced by the clatter of cutlery as everyone piled food onto their plates. Bard looked at Tilda’s plate and rolled his eyes. 

“Could you tell Legolas to put some vegetable on my daughter’s plate?” Bard asked Elanordor. 

Elanordor nodded and passed along the request. There was an outraged whine from Tilda as broccoli, carrots and peas were put in front of her. 

“I wasn’t expecting to come home to a new sibling,” Elanordor said. 

“Let’s be honest, you weren’t expecting to come home at all,” Celebrian said. 

“She’s not your only new sibling,” Thranduil said. 

He placed a hand on Bard’s back for a moment and Bard was tempted to hit him with a serving spoon as Elanordor’s eyes immediately dropped to Bard’s tummy. 

“He means that I have three children. Tilda’s my youngest and my twins are currently missing,” Bard said. 

“Missing?” Elrond asked. 

“Tauriel is in the process of tracking them down.” Thranduil sipped his wine. 

“Looks like she’s recruiting to me,” Elanordor said. 

They all looked over at where Tauriel was spinning her table knife to Tilda’s awe. Bard groaned and put his head in his hands. Tilda was likely to injure herself or someone else mimicking her. 

When dinner was over and the plates were being cleared away Elrond turned to Bard. 

“Do you want to do the honours?” 

“What?” Bard asked. 

“Well I assume we’ll be withdrawing to the drawing room,” Elrond said. 

“We have a drawing room?” Bard asked Thranduil. “Right, of course we do. This house is way too big. Is that standard practice after dinner?” 

“It is when we have guests,” Elanordor said. “All you need to do is leave with Elrond and most of the omegas and those who don’t want to be subjected to posturing and ‘real talk’ will follow you.” 

“I see. I’d better take Tilda with me then.” Bard finished his drink. 

“Elanordor will take care of her for you,” Thranduil said. 

Elanordor jerked in surprise and the two of them had a staring match around Bard. 

“There’s no need. I want to keep her close for now.” Bard stood up and immediately drew the attention of the room. 

Thranduil kissed the back of his hand as Elrond stood also and joined him on the other side of the table. Around the table, most of the omegas got up and a few of the betas did too. Bard was sure that all the alphas stayed where they were. 

“Ada please don’t do this to me,” Elanordor said. 

“You can’t expect to return after so long without contact and not have consequences. Be grateful that I’m only reassigning you to babysitting duty and not something more drastic,” Thranduil said. 

Bard didn’t fail to notice Elanordor’s flinch or the way Elrohir nodded to the beta. Elanordor hesitated and then stood up. He didn’t look at anyone but he drew a number of glances. Bard stepped around him and tapped Tilda on the shoulder in the hopes of getting the attention back on himself and sparing Elanordor. 

“Come on, Tilda, you can talk to them again later,” Bard said. 

Tilda pouted but did as she was told. She was soon grinning again when Elanordor offered her a piggyback. Bard smiled and joined Elrond at the door. 

“You’ll have to lead the way,” Bard said. 

“That’s not a problem.” Elrond offered his arm and Bard pushed himself to link his own through it. 

When they arrived at the drawing room Bard recognised it from his exploring earlier but had just assumed that it was a large sitting room. The floor was carpeted instead of the usual wooden floors and there was mismatched sofas and armchairs set out in groups around the room. There were paintings on the walls and the room was softly lit with lamps. Coffee tables were distributed throughout the room which were currently holding pots of tea and coffee. 

Elrond guided them over to a large cluster of seats off to the side of the room and sat them down on one of the sofas. The others who had followed them into the room were separating into small groups and talking amongst themselves. Elanordor had set Tilda down and received an armful of Meludir who quickly stepped away again. Elanordor laughed and dragged Meludir in for a longer hug. Bard watched as tension eased out of Meludir’s body. 

“So you knew Rhawel?” Bard asked. He turned back to focus on Elrond who was pouring tea. Bard took the offered cup and waited for an answer.

“Yes. Does it bother you that Thranduil had a wife before you?” Elrond asked. 

“No. What bothers me if that my twins are out there somewhere instead of with me,” Bard said. 

“He’ll find them. I doubt he’ll deny you anything, after all, he never could say no to Rhawel.”

“Did you like her?” 

“We didn’t see eye to eye and I never forgave her for helping Celebrian expose me as an omega. I only forgave Celebrian after the twins were born. Which was her plan all along and why she knocked me up with them in the first place.” Elrond took a sip of his tea. 

“She claimed you against your will?” Bard asked. 

“No, we fell in love and bonded while I was still pretending to be an alpha and working as a doctor. The scents and suppressants I was using blocked our bond and was causing us both a lot of pain. I…wouldn’t see sense…I suppose and she was forced to get Rhawel to switch out my pills so that it would become clear at work that I was an omega. After being outed so publically I was microchipped and put on databases.” Elrond set his tea down. 

“And you still love her after she did that?” Bard asked. 

“Blame biology, I did at first, but she made the right call in the end even if she went about it horribly. Those suppressants had nearly killed me on three occasions before she put a stop to them and the alpha scents were reacting badly with certain patients.” 

“I take it that you worked things out between you after that?” Bard drank his tea. 

“You’ve got kids, so you know the way your whole world changes and reorders. Things that you hated are no longer important to you and things that you loved take a backseat. For the first time after my twin died I felt safe, and all because she’d claimed me completely.”

Bard remembered what Anisa had been like after his own twins were born and thought he could understand what Elrond meant. She’d been so much more protective and possessive throughout his pregnancy and birth, but when Sigrid and Bain had been born all those pheromones had made Bard feel safe and cherished. He wasn’t sure he’d have been able to get through that first year without those pheromones although some omegas managed it. 

“Why did you pretend to be an alpha instead of a beta?” Bard asked. 

“Because it was easier. My twin was an alpha and since we were identical it wasn’t hard to persuade everyone that he’d been the omega and not me.” Elrond looked away. 

Bard was glad when Elanordor joined them trailing Meludir and Tilda. In her hands was a book that Bard didn’t recognise but he was glad that she was finding something to entertain herself with even if she was forcing Meludir to sit next to her. Elanordor made himself and Meludir coffees and then took the armchair closest to Bard. 

“It’s strange to be in here again,” Elanordor said. 

“When was the last time you used this room?” Elrond asked. He was smiling again. 

“Well…I’ve been in here with Elrohir a couple of times but the last time I was in here for something like this it must have been when I was fifteen?” Elanordor took a gulp of coffee and winced. He leaned forward and scooped another spoonful of sugar into it. “After that, I would have stayed in the dining room with my parents.” 

“Your mother didn’t come in here?” Bard asked. 

“No, this is very much Elrond’s domain, and yours too now I suppose.” Elanordor lounged back in his chair. “Celebrian is even more traditional than Ada apart from when she allows Elrond to practice medicine.”

“That doesn’t happen as often as I’d like it to,” Elrond said. 

“Ma, you still need to apologise to Ruel.” Tilda looked up from her book. 

“I know, I haven’t forgotten.” 

“Let me know when you’re going to and I’ll come with you.” Meludir had a faint blush on his cheeks as he spoke.

“Why?” Tilda asked. 

“Because he’s got a crush on her,” Elanordor said. 

“No, I don’t!” Meludir said. 

“Don’t lie. I think you two would be very cute together,” Elanordor said.

“Ok maybe I do, but it’s only a little one.” The blush was more pronounced now. 

“Hmph.” Tilda went back to her book. 

Legolas appeared after half an hour and many in the room took this as a sign to leave. He walked to where Elanordor was sitting and smirked at him. 

“Ada wants to see you.” 

“Is he in his study?” Elanordor got to his feet. 

“Yep. Good luck.” Legolas smacked Elanordor on the shoulder. 

“I’ll see you all later,” Elanordor said to them and hurried out of the room. 

*

Thranduil checked through the proposal for the updated contract that Celebrian had given him and waited for Elanordor. Elladan and Elrohir were sat in front of his desk in silence. He hadn’t intended for them to be there when he debriefed Elanordor but they needed to be debriefed also. 

There was a knock on the door. 

“Enter.” Thranduil set the proposal aside. 

Elanordor came in and paused at the sight of the twins. They nodded to him and he sat down in the chair between them that had been brought in from the conference room. 

“What happened?” Thranduil asked. 

“I let my guard down. I’m sorry, Ada. I was expecting trouble in Rohan and not Isengard. Saruman must have dropped some of his security teams because the place was crawling with the Nazgul’s people. The meeting with Saruman went smoothly although he wasn’t happy about you pulling your support out of his operations and I was on my way to Rohan to do the surveillance you wanted there. I don’t remember much other than being cornered by a group of orcs, but I think I was hit over the head. After that, I don’t remember anything but a blank cell until Elrohir and Elladan arrived.” Elanordor managed to maintain eye contact with Thranduil the whole time he spoke. 

“Anything else?” Thranduil asked. 

“No, Ada. I’m sorry,” Elanordor said. 

“Anything you want to add?” Thranduil looked at the twins. 

“We had a similar problem with the orcs but I didn’t see any of the Nazgul,” Elladan said. “We didn’t have any problems getting in, but getting out nearly killed us.” 

“Ela was in an easy access cell and we’ve been thinking that it might have been a trap,” Elrohir said. “I think they were expecting you and Celechon or him and Legolas, and they were thrown by our arrival. If you don’t mind me saying, Sir, I think Ela and Legolas are in the most danger from another attempt.”

“Legolas can handle himself and I have enough security around him that should keep him safe. He’s right, Elanordor, you are a…weak link and so is Bard. I want you to stay here with him until we get this sorted out,” Thranduil said. 

Elanordor clenched his fists and Elrohir reached over to rub circles on his elbow. Elanordor stiffened for a moment and then slowly he relaxed into the contact. 

“Of course, Ada, whatever you think is best.” Elanordor stared down at the floor. 

“And if you go outside I’d like you to be accompanied by either Elrohir or Legolas. Just for my peace of mind,” Thranduil said. 

“Do you think that’s really necessary?” Elrohir said. 

“Yes, Azog and Bolg got far too close before we were aware they were there. I believe that they were scouting. Next time they might make it onto the grounds before we catch them.” Thranduil pulled a sour expression. “I’d rather not have a repeat of today.”

“We’ll stay for as long as you need us,” Elladan said. “Ada may have told you otherwise but we can be spared from her operations to help with this. After all, it’s basically a family emergency.” Elladan grinned in Elanordor and Elrohir’s direction. 

“I’m pleased to hear it. Now if there’s nothing else you’re all dismissed.” Thranduil turned back to Celebrian’s proposal. 

*

Legolas was waiting outside of Thranduil’s study for Elrohir. Elladan took one look at him and laughed. He smacked his twin on the back and put an arm around Elanordor’s shoulders. 

“Let’s get you a stiff drink while these two talk.” Elladan pulled him down the corridor and left Legolas and Elrohir alone. 

“Why do I get the impression that that was planned?” Elrohir asked. 

Legolas smirked and jerked his head for Elrohir to follow him. He didn’t speak until they were in one of the private conference rooms on the top floor. Elrohir raised his eyebrows at the location. 

“Is this so that people don’t hear my screams for mercy?” Elrohir asked. 

“I wanted somewhere private, or as private as it gets around here, to talk to you about my brother. I know that he loves you, and I want to make sure that you won’t hurt him again.” Legolas kicked out a chair and gestured for Elrohir to sit. 

“Is this the talk where you threaten to have me killed if I leave Ela heartbroken?” Elrohir sat down with a loose-limbed ease. 

“No, it’s the talk where I promise to torture you to insanity if you hurt my brother again the way you did when you left him.” Legolas didn’t take a seat and instead towered over Elrohir. 

“Look, we’ve talked about it and we’re going to find a way to work it out. I never wanted to hurt him.”

“But you did. I didn’t even recognise him! You’re lucky that Celechon wasn’t here to see it because I swear he would have strung your intestines up like tinsel.” 

Elrohir flinched. Legolas fell into a seat across from him. 

“I only want him to be happy and I was having the opposite effect on him. We needed a break and now I hope we can work it out between us,” Elrohir said. 

“What are you plans?” Legolas asked. 

“Plans? Or Intentions?” 

“Both.” 

“I plan to stay here for a while and see if it’s possible for Ela to…be satisfied in an omega style role,” Elrohir said. 

Legolas stiffened but nodded for him to continue. 

“My intentions are…well, I hope to one day marry him.” Elrohir held Legolas’ gaze. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Omega style role? Perhaps you’d like to explain.” Legolas’ voice was cold. 

“You know exactly what I mean. Surely you’ve noticed how much more relaxed he is at home than when he’s doing jobs for your father. He smiles more and his whole demeanour is softer. He’s agreed to try not to fight his natural submissive nature so that we can find out if it works for us.” 

“He doesn’t have a ‘natural submissive nature’,” Legolas said. 

“No, you don’t have a submissive nature, but he does.”

“Are you sure that this isn’t just you wanting to be with an omega instead of a beta?” 

“I want Ela and no one else. I don’t care what he is as long as he’ll be happy. If it turns out that he gets more satisfaction out of working for your ada then I will support him completely.”

Legolas watched him closely. He couldn’t detect a lie and so he nodded. 

“Alright, but if I find that you’ve been pushing this omega thing and ignoring what he wants then I will help Tauriel and Celechon break you.” Legolas stood up. 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Elrohir reached out his hand and Legolas shook it. “Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to find him and make sure he’s ok.”

“Why wouldn’t he be?” Legolas asked. 

“Thranduil was…he took away a lot of Ela’s freedoms in the name of his safety tonight.” 

*

After Bard had tucked Tilda in for the night he got Meludir and went up to Ruel’s room. He knocked on the door as Meludir shifted from foot to foot. It felt like a long wait until the door opened and the alpha watched them with raised eyebrows. 

“Are you here to get me into trouble again?” Ruel asked. 

“I hope not. I’m really sorry for what happened.” Bard hoped she believed him. 

“You set my recovery back weeks!” 

“I’m so sorry.” 

“I don’t want to forgive you but you’re an omega, my boss’ omega, so I have to.”

“I was desperate to find my kids. My youngest was living under a bridge!” 

“You’re not even getting into trouble for this are you?” Ruel asked. 

“I…don’t think so?” 

“Urgh! Typical. You omegas can get away with anything and everything! For once I want to see an omega who has to deal with the consequences of their actions and not just a slap on the wrist or something private between them and their alpha. I mean something like the rest of us would have to go through for disobeying direct orders and putting others in danger.” 

Bard stared down at the ground. Meludir took his arm and Bard gave his hand a squeeze.

“Is there any way we could compensate you?” Meludir asked. 

Bard and Ruel both turned to frown at him. 

“What do you mean?” Ruel asked. 

“Well…I…nevermind,” Meludir said. 

“I’d demand a date from this bitch but he’s already taken.” Ruel pointed at Bard. 

“Would you accept one with me instead?” Meludir asked. 

Ruel raised her eyebrows and took a step back. Her eyes swept over him and a smile spread across her face. 

“You are beautiful. I’ll be outside your door at 2 o’clock tomorrow. Wear something pretty.” With that Ruel went back into her room and closed the door in their faces. 

Bard glanced over at Meludir with his mouth open. Meludir looked back at him with a blush on his cheeks and a shy grin lighting up his eyes. 

“I’m going on a date!” Meludir whispered. 

“Congratulations,” Bard said. 

Meludir was practically skipping as they walked away from Ruel’s room. 

When Bard arrived at his bedroom he found Thranduil already there. He crossed the room without a word and pressed himself against Thranduil. Arms wrapped around him and he felt Thranduil press a kiss into his hair. 

“Are you alright?” Thranduil asked. 

“I don’t know. I’m glad that we’ve got Tilda here but I’m so worried about Sigrid and Bain, and I feel so guilty for all the trouble I caused, and I’m so tired.” 

Thranduil scooped Bard up and carried him over to the bed, where he laid him under the covers. They undressed each other and Thranduil switched off the light as he slipped in beside Bard.

“Try not to worry about anything. I’ll take care of everything.” Thranduil cradled Bard against him.

“Why do you have to be so...” Bard had been about to say perfect. “…relaxed about all of this?”

“I might be relaxed now but I wasn’t when I got the news of your escape. Please save me from a heart attack and never do that again.” Thranduil’s grip was firm on Bard’s hip as he pulled him closer.

“I’ll try not to.” Bard tucked his head into Thranduil’s neck. “Can you sleep in late with me tomorrow? I’ve missed waking up with you.”

“I’d be happy to.” Thranduil smiled against Bard’s hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meludir's got a date!
> 
> This chapter was so difficult and I've spent about 2 weeks trying to write it. I don't think it's as good as the other chapters but, at the moment, I'm just pleased to get it up. 
> 
> I think I might finally have an idea as to where this story is going and I think that this is the end of part 1.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barduil moments and family time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to TheMirkyKing for all your help.

Bard knelt on the sun warmed flat roof behind his sniper rifle and lined up his shot. His orders came through to shoot as soon as the man walked into his line of sight. Not taking his eyes away from the alleyway entrance his target would appear through he ran the contents of the fridge through his head. They didn’t have any vegetables left but they’d be able to make do with fish and cram for the next couple of days. He’d just have to be careful to stretch the food out. 

A young man stepped around the corner and Bard shot him. The bullet went straight through his head and blood splattered the walls. His dark hair was the first part of him that Bard took notice of, but he quickly focused in on those eyes, so like Anisa’s, and the face that grow closer to Bard’s own with every passing day. 

Bard woke with a jerk and a sob choking him as the image of the hole in Bain’s head stained his vision. The arms around him tightened and Bard fought their hold and the tangle of the bedding to escape. 

“Bard. Bard, stop.” Thranduil’s voice was soft in his ear and his arms were firm as he moved them both into a sitting position. 

Bard tried to free his breathing as Thranduil leaned over and switched on the bedside lamp. The light was sharp and the pain grounded Bard. Thranduil pulled him against his chest and rubbed his back. 

“What happened?” Thranduil asked. 

“Nightmare. I’m sorry I woke you.” Bard focused at their legs had looked like a braid under the covers. 

“You’re safe now. I will stay awake with you until you’re able to sleep,” Thranduil said. 

“You don’t need to. I won’t sleep again tonight.”

“Have you had that dream before?” Thranduil asked. 

“Yes and no. It’s usually Anisa.” In halting sentences Bard told him about the dream that had plagued him since Anisa died and he’d had to work for the Master full time. 

Thranduil kissed Bard after he’d finished talking and Bard melted against him. Thranduil’s scent had turned protective and with every inhale Bard felt the tightness in his chest easing. 

“If you don’t think you’ll be able to sleep again tonight then perhaps a walk would help settle your mind,” Thranduil said. 

“You mean outside?” Bard asked. 

“No, it’s too late for that and I wouldn’t want you to get cold. This house is big enough for the hallways to make a suitable route.”

“This place is too large to be called a house.” 

Thranduil smiled and kissed Bard again. Bard wrapped his arms around Thranduil’s neck and wriggled around in the embrace until he was straddling Thranduil. Thranduil moaned and his hands slid from Bard’s back to cup his bottom. Bard moaned and for a moment they fought for dominance in their kiss. The kiss broke before they could determine a winner and Thranduil smirked up at Bard. 

“What?” Bard was breathless. 

“I think that might be the first time you’ve initiated. How should we celebrate?” Thranduil pressed a kiss to Bard’s collarbone. 

“Vigorous exercise. I don’t want to leave this bed.” 

“So up against the wall is out?” Thranduil bit the spot he just kissed and smirked against sweaty skin as Bard arched his back. 

“We’re not teenagers.” 

“Mmm, and I intend to demonstrate my years of experience.” 

*

Elanordor landed one last punch on the punching bag and followed it up with an elbow strike. Breathing heavily, he stepped back and pulled off his protective gloves. He refused to look at the time but he knew the house too well to avoid the knowledge of how late it had gotten. The training rooms were quiet other than his own noise and there was silence from out in the hall. 

It didn’t matter. He wasn’t planning to get any sleep that night anyway. He put away the equipment he’d been using and collected his guns from where he’d left them by the firing range. He opened the door and went inside. 

The guns were comfortable weights in his hands, and as he lined up his first shot he was reminded of the first time he’d held a gun. His mother had put her hand over his and knelt down beside him so that the recoil wouldn’t put him off. She’d guided the shot so that it hit the heart of the target. It had been the only good shot he’d made that day, but it hadn’t stopped the bright smile that had made his face ache. 

He emptied the magazine into the target and glared as he saw that each shot was off by half a centre metre. He set the used gun down and switched his fully loaded gun to his best arm. He needed to sort out his aim. His heart beat painfully as the hot buzz of anxiety pressed on his chest. For a moment he was back in Isengard, and then he was aiming again. There was a tremor in his hand and his brought his other hand up to stabilise the arm. It didn’t help as the next three shots were also off. 

The door opened behind him and he whirled around to see Elrohir standing there. Elanordor lowered his gun from where he’d levelled it at Elrohir’s head. 

“Do you want company?” Elrohir asked. 

Elanordor almost said no but instead he nodded and turned back to the target. When he raised his gun again he gulped and tried to force his hand still. 

Elrohir came up behind him and put one hand on Elanordor’s waist and the other he used to stabilise Elanordor’s arm. The comfort of having his alpha’s chest pressed to his back had him breathe a little easier. The strength in Elrohir’s grip cancelled out some of the tremor and this time when Elanordor emptied the magazine two of the bullets hit the directly where he wanted them. 

“Better.” Elrohir kissed Elanordor’s exposed neck.

Elanordor let his head drop back onto Elrohir’s shoulder and closer his eyes. 

“I don’t know why I’m having so much trouble with it. I’m the best shot out of my family, only Nana could shoot better than me.” 

“You’re too tense. Relax into it and let the power course through you.” Elrohir’s breath was hot against Elanordor’s neck as he mouthed the words into his skin. 

“I know, but I…just can’t.” 

“I got you now. I won’t let anything happen to you. Now keep your beautiful eyes closed and focus on my breathing.” 

“You’re not going to try to get me to tell you about what happened?” Elanordor asked. 

“You’ll tell me when you’re ready,” Elrohir said. 

Elanordor let his mind slip from the last week to the suppressed part of himself where he could let Elrohir have complete control. 

“I’m yours.” 

Elrohir kissed Elanordor’s neck and the arms around him tightened as Elanordor reached behind him and gripped his alpha’s shoulders. The tension was slow to leave Elanordor’s body, but Elrohir held him the whole time. 

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you in my arms,” Elrohir said. 

“I want that too.” Elanordor melted against him. He opened his eyes and pulled away for a new magazine. 

“Where do you want me?” Elrohir asked. 

“Will you keep my arm stabilised?” 

“Of course.” 

They resumed their previous positions and Elanordor took a moment to ground himself in his breathing and focus only on the human shaped target. He fired. The bullet pierced dead on the target’s heart. Elrohir rewarded the shot with a kiss to Elanordor’s neck that made a shiver run down his spine. 

They repeated this until the magazine was empty. Only one shot hadn’t gone where Elanordor wanted and that had been completely Elrohir’s fault. On the last shot he’d slipped the hand resting on Elanordor’s waist down into his trousers to pinch Elanordor’s bottom. 

“Can you stop teasing me so that I can practice?” Elanordor asked.

“You’ve practiced for long enough tonight. I got a message from surveillance that you were punishing yourself, so I’m here to drag you off to bed.” Elrohir pressed Elanordor against him. 

“I don’t want to sleep.”

“Who said anything about sleeping?” Elrohir asked. “I know that you’re punishing yourself for getting caught and I need you to stop.” 

“I’m not punishing…ok fine…I might be a little bit, but why shouldn’t I?” Elanordor took a step back and Elrohir released him. 

“Because that’s not how this works, Ela. If you think you need to be punished, then you need to come to me with it and I’ll decide how to administer it.”

“W-why should I?” Elanordor stared at the floor. 

“Because you’ll do yourself damage before you feel you’ve been punished enough. Please let me take care of you,” Elrohir said. 

Elanordor shook his head then flung himself into Elrohir’s arms and pressed his face into his shoulder. Elanordor trembled while Elrohir enfolded him and pulled them down to the floor. 

“I’m scared to give myself to you like that. Only omegas get disciplined that way,” Elanordor said. 

“There’s no shame in needing someone to take care of you. We can go at your speed and if you want it to stop then we will.” Elrohir kissed him. “And I have been reliably informed that Lethuin also gets disciplined like an omega so you’re not the only one who needs it.” 

“You swear you’ll stop if I ask you to?” Elanordor pulled back to look at Elrohir’s face. “Really? I can’t imagine him being submissive.”

“I swear. Your happiness is more important to me than my own.” Elrohir kissed Elanordor. “Legolas as good as owns him.” 

“I really didn’t need to know that.” Elanordor pulled a face. 

Elrohir laughed and kissed Elanordor’s nose. Elanordor closed his eyes and his breathing became deliberate, then he opened hooded eyes and looked up at Elrohir. 

“Please, Sir, take me up to bed,” Elanordor said. 

Elrohir’s head fell back and he let out a groan. 

“Ela, you’re going to kill me if you keep that up.”

“That would be counterproductive,” Ela said. 

“Go up to your room and strip. When I get up there I want you kneeling by the bed and waiting patiently for me.” Elrohir tapped Elanordor on the bum. 

Elanordor fled the room and Elrohir used to the time it took to clear everything away to plan what he was going to do to his sweet boy. 

*

Bard dressed in one of Thranduil’s shirts and underwear and took the offered arm as they walked through the dark hallways. It felt nice to be able to wear underwear even if it was an alpha style instead of a beta. 

“Where are we going?” Bard asked. 

“The roof. I want to show you the view from up there.” 

"I thought we weren't going outside."

"I changed my mind," Thranduil said. 

As they walked through the house they only saw one other person. Elanordor was blushing as he dashed past them which caused Thranduil to raise his eyebrows. 

“Do I want to know what’s caused that look?” Bard asked. 

“Elrohir, probably.” Thranduil smiled. 

“Do you like Elrohir?” Bard asked. 

“I trust him. Both on business and with Elanordor. If anyone can give Elanordor what he needs it will be him.”

“What does Elanordor need?” Bard asked. 

“An omega role model when he was growing up, but now…” Thranduil pressed a kiss to Bard’s forehead and opened a reinforced metal door. 

Bard walked out and stared at the city lights that were spread across the distance. He walked to the railing and gripped the cold metal as his mouth hung open. Thranduil stepped behind him and wrapped his arms around Bard’s waist. 

“I can’t take away the horrors that you’ve seen or take away your guilt but I can swear to protect you and your children from that for the rest of your lives,” Thranduil said. 

“What do you want in return?” Bard asked. He turned his head so that he could see the intense look Thranduil was giving him. 

“Your safety and the freedom of your smile.” Thranduil kissed him. 

Bard turned in his arms and rested his hands against Thranduil’s chest. He allowed himself to melt into the embrace. For a moment, nothing else existed other than the kiss and the cool breeze on his bare legs. They broke away with heavy breathing and foreheads resting together. 

“I’ve never felt safer than when I’m with you,” Bard said. 

Thranduil’s smile was so open that it made Bard’s breath catch. 

“Look up.”

Bard looked up and smiled. A ceiling of stars glittered down on them. 

“It’s beautiful,” Bard said. 

“Nothing like a beautiful night to chase away a nightmare.” Thranduil watched Bard’s face. 

They stayed there until the chill of the air got too much for Bard, then they returned to their bedroom with only a brief detour to the kitchen for cups of tea. 

Bard breathed in the scent of Mint tea and curled up between Thranduil’s legs with the covers wrapped around them. Thranduil leaned up against the headboard. 

“Will you read to me?” Bard asked. 

“Read to you? I suppose I could. Which book?” Thranduil asked. 

“The one on the bedside table.” 

Thranduil stretched across the bed to get it and Bard soaked up the way those muscles pulled and flexed as Thranduil moved. When Thranduil sat back he looked at the book in his hand and raised his eyebrows at Bard.

“Seriously? This garbage?” Thranduil asked. 

“Shut up and read me the soppy romance.” Bard grinned. 

“You’re so cruel to inflict this on me.” Thranduil flipped to the marked page and his eyes skimmed down. He let out a groan. 

Bard laughed as he remembered that he’d left it part way through a badly written sex scene. Thranduil rubbed his forehead and started to read aloud. Bard closed his eyes and rested his head against Thrandui’s chest. He let the words wash over him and push the nightmare firmly from his mind. 

*

Breakfast was busy the next morning and Bard was glad when Thranduil suggested just grabbing some tea and toast and going out onto the sun drenched patio around the back of the house. Thranduil tilted his chair so that he could see the door to the house while still sitting beside Bard. Bard had his chair face out to the grounds so he could enjoy the glimmering dew drops in the morning sun. It was something he didn’t think he’d ever been able to take the time to enjoy before. 

“I have a business meeting with Celebrian today but I hope to get that over with this morning. My time is all yours this afternoon.” Thranduil slipped his hand to cup the back of Bard’s neck. 

Bard took it as an invitation to close the gap between them and steal a kiss. Thranduil smiled into the kiss and ran his thumb in circles over Bard’s pulse point. Bard sat back and Thranduil returned to his breakfast. 

“You said you have stables. Do they have horses in?” Bard asked. 

“Of course.”

“Then I want to take Tilda down there later. She’s always wanted to learn how to ride a horse,” Bard said. 

“Then that’s what we’ll do this afternoon,” Thranduil said. “It seems that we’re getting company.”

Bard looked around to see Legolas walk through the door holding a plate piled high. He dragged a chair out and sat down opposite them. 

“I’m surprised you haven’t dragged him in for a debriefing,” Legolas said. 

“I’ll do it later. Let him enjoy himself for now,” Thranduil said. 

“You mean hold it over his head until he’s calmed down?” Legolas grinned.

“That too.”

“What’s going on?” Bard asked. 

“Celechon got back an hour ago, which is why the dining room is so busy. Everyone wants to talk to him.” Legolas rolled his eyes. “Elanordor and I never get a hero’s welcome, so I don’t see why he should.”

“Which is why you’re out here? To make him come to you.” Thranduil set his empty mug aside. 

“Yep. Elanordor’s on his way out here too. He and Tilda are grabbing food now.” Legolas started eating. 

“What’s wrong with Celechon?” Bard asked. 

“For the first day or so after he gets back he’s unbearable, so everyone who’s related to him avoids him at all costs,” Legolas said. 

Tilda and Elanordor came out soon after that and Tilda sat in the chair beside Bard while Elanordor took the one furthest from the door. 

“Where’s Tauriel?” Tilda asked. 

Bard wasn’t surprised to see that her plate was covered with maple syrup drenched waffles. She at least had a glass of orange juice, although judging by the unimpressed look she was giving it that had been more Elanordor’s addition. 

“Out searching for Bain and Sigrid.” Bard reached over and tied Tilda’s hair out of her face before she got maple syrup in it. 

“Ma! Leave my hair alone.” Tilda swiped at his hands and her new brothers shared a fond laugh. “When will she be back?”

“I don’t know. Not until she finds them,” Thranduil said. 

“Oh.” Tilda’s shoulders sagged. 

“In the meantime you’ll have to content yourself with playing with Elanordor and Legolas,” Thranduil said. 

Legolas choked on his breakfast while Elanordor let out a groan. 

“Boys.” Thranduil gave them both a long cold look. 

“Yes, Ada,” they chorused. 

“Cheer up, Tilda, we’re going horse riding later, or you are.” Bard finished his toast. 

“Really?” Tilda perked up. “When?”

“This afternoon,” Bard said. 

Elanordor was suddenly out of his seat and running out across the grounds. Legolas whipped his head around to the door where Celechon was walking towards them. He was running after Elanordor before Bard had time to realise what was going on. Celechon shot after them and caught up with Legolas before he’d even left the patio. He picked Legolas up from behind to Legolas’ indignant squawks. 

He dropped Legolas on the ground who scrambled to his feet. They shared a grin then went after Elanordor. 

“What’s going on?” Tilda asked. 

“It’s a game from when they were little. The aim is to get to the path and back here without getting caught. If you’re caught, then you have to help catch the other one. Elanordor is the only one who stands a chance of getting to the path and back because he’s faster than both Celechon and Legolas. They have to work together in order to capture him,” Thranduil said. 

Bard watched as Celechon and Legolas used hand signals to organise themselves. They made no attempt to stop Elanordor before he got to the path, instead they waited for him to make his way back. Celechon was closer to Elanordor who evaded his attempts to grab him. It was only when Legolas tackled Elanordor and took his legs out from under him that Bard realised that they’d been herding Elanordor into a trap. 

Elanordor struggled against Legolas as he tried to get away before Celechon got there. Celechon descended on Elanordor to drag him into a fireman’s lift and bring him back to the table. 

Tilda watched them wide eyes and glanced at Bard who offered her a shrug. 

“I hate you both,” Elanordor said. 

Celechon set him down and pulled him into a hug. 

“Someone told me that you got kidnapped and that now you’re back with Elrohir. Why do you keep making terrible life choices while I’m away? You could at least have waited until I got back so that I could laugh at you.” Celechon gave a protesting Elanordor a kiss on the cheek. 

“You’re already laughing at me.” Elanordor shoved him away and wiped at his cheek. 

“It’s not my fault you make it so easy,” Celechon laughed. 

Legolas dragged Celechon into a hug and Elanordor returned to his seat. Legolas and Celechon weren’t far behind him. Celechon bent down to give Thranduil a hug and then took a seat between Legolas and Elanordor with a nod to Bard and Tilda. 

“Celechon. You must be Bard.” Celechon made no movement to give Bard a physical greeting and Bard was relieved.

The scent of alpha came off Celechon in waves that had Bard’s eyes watering. He was sure that it was just as strong as Thranduil’s scent, but now that Bard was mated his senses didn’t appreciate the close proximity of this new alpha. 

“I’m Tilda.” Her voice was quiet but Bard was proud to see that she looked him in the eyes when she said it. 

“I heard that your other two are missing?” Celechon looked at Bard. “That was careless.” 

Elanordor and Legolas shot their brother looks that begged for silence but Celechon only smirked at the sight of Thranduil’s death glare. Bard sat up a little straighter as he recognised the disregard to Thranduil’s dominance in their family, by attacking his omega. 

“Celechon-” Thranduil started. 

“Not all of us were born into money and the security that comes with it,” Bard said. “Not all of us are born at the top of the food chain that allows us the freedom to choose. Some of us pick up a gun not because we want to but because there’s no other option. Perhaps the disappearance of my children was careless but I promise you that my headshots aren’t.” 

Everyone was staring at Bard when he finished speaking. He didn’t break eye contact with Celechon until it was his step-son who looked away. Then Bard looked over at Thranduil. The look in his eyes reminded Bard of when he stole Elros’ wine. The kiss that followed was sweetened by the sense of victory. 

When they settled back into their seats Thranduil looked at his sons. 

“Legolas, Elanordor, I want you two training Bard and Tilda this morning. Legolas, your afternoon is free to do what you want with. Elanordor, I’m taking the afternoon off so make sure everything runs smoothly. I’ll be here if you need me but I’m sure you can handle things,” Thranduil said. 

“Why do you always put him in charge?” Celechon asked. 

“Because I’m the responsible one,” Elanordor said. 

“No, you’re the vulnerable one who keeps rolling over whenever he’s given an order,” Celechon said. 

“Say that again and I’ll use you as a demonstration of how to remove someone’s bollocks.” Legolas jumped to his feet. 

Elanordor had gone pale and his eyes kept darting to the door. Celechon nodded and after a moment he relaxed his posture. 

“I’m sorry. That was out of order,” Celechon said. 

“Yeah, it was.” Elanordor refused to look at him. 

“Elanordor, could you make sure that Elrohir will be up before lunchtime,” Thranduil said. 

Elanordor sent Thranduil a grateful look and fled into the house. 

“Bard, could you take Tilda to training room, please? Legolas will join you soon. Celechon, I want a word.” Thranduil’s voice was soft when he spoke to Bard but it had a hardened edge when he addressed Celechon. 

Bard hear and smell the subtle dominance in Thranduil’s statement. It was the first time that Bard had heard him use the vocal dominance that he remembered Anisa favouring.

“Of course.” Bard got up and gestured for Tilda to follow him. 

*

Bard went first so that he could get it out of the way. Legolas had him working on blocking and hitting with Elanordor watching them. He’d step forward every now and again to correct his stance or show him how he should block that particular hit. Although Bard got most of the corrections Elanordor gave Legolas a few too. 

When it was over Bard was sweating heavily and sat down on the bench with a groan. Elanordor sat beside him and passed a bottle of water. 

“Thanks.” Bard gulped down half of it. 

“You did well. Although I recommend staying as far out of the main action as possible. Has Ada let you use the guns here yet?” Elanordor asked. 

“No, but then I haven’t asked.”

“Would you like to shoot with me later? We have a firing range and a large selection of guns,” Elanordor said. 

“Thank you, but that might bring back bad memories,” Bard said. 

Tilda nodded at something that Legolas was saying and then he moved onto teaching her how to fall. 

“It might help you feel better about it, but I understand if you don’t feel ready to,” Elanordor said. 

“You...really wouldn’t force me to do it?” Bard looked at Elanordor.

“Of course not. It’s completely up to you. Oh I’ve been meaning to say, thank you for helping Meludir to get his date. He’s so excited.” Elanordor looked at the floor with a soft smile. 

“Are you two close?” Bard asked. He remembered sitting in this spot with Meludir crying in his arms about Elanordor being missing. 

“Best friends. He was one of the first people I met who seemed to have a similar personality to me.” Elanordor shrugged. “…You’ve probably seen what my brothers think of my personality.”

“Yes, it makes me worry for my daughter Sigrid. She’s an omega and much more sensitive than I am. Bain and Tilda gang up on her sometimes but your bothers seem…more intense,” Bard said. 

“If they give her trouble go to Ada. He’ll take them down a peg or two. I’m sorry that you had to see Celechon like that today. The first day back isn’t a good time to first meet him.”

“Legolas said something similar,” Bard said. 

“He’s just come back from a high adrenaline mission where he was the boss and now he’s back here and having to fit back under Ada’s command. Give him a couple of days and all his alpha bullshit will have settled down.” 

“That’s good to know.” 

“What’s it like…being omega?” Elanordor asked. 

“Well…I don’t exactly have a point of reference but it’s…got ups and downs. It can be restrictive but I’m not sure I would want to change it even if being a Beta might suit me better. If I’d been born a beta everything would have been different and I wouldn’t have my children.” Bard looked over at Elanordor who had tears in his eyes. 

“Yes that is a major advantage. I…I’ve always wanted children but I never gave it serious thought until recently. I know Elrohir wants children too and I…I can’t give them to him.” Elanordor coughed to mask a sob and rubbed at his face. 

Bard wrapped an arm around Elanordor and pulled him over so that he was resting his head against Bard’s shoulder. Elanordor closed his eyes.

“If you two love each other enough you’ll find a way of working it out. You can always adopt.” Bard ran his hand through Elanordor’s hair. 

“I’m sorry to be so emotional. I didn’t get much sleep last night,” Elanordor said. 

“There’s no need to apologise for that.”

“But would you want to bring children into a world like this?” 

“I don’t know, but I do know that this is paradise compared to the conditions I’ve had to raise my children in,” Bard said. 

By the time they stopped for lunch Tilda was grinning and complaining of aches and pains. Bard rolled his eyes with a smile.

*

Lunch went very similarly to breakfast with the boys teasing each other, although it ended with Elanordor upending his grape juice over Celechon’s head and Legolas laughing so hard he fell off his chair. Tilda was so excited that she was going to be able to ride a horse that she couldn’t sit still and by the end of the meal Bard was glad to get out of the dining room. 

Bard and Thranduil walked toward the stables with Tilda rushing ahead of them. Thranduil had his arm around Bard’s waist who was watching his daughter with a soft smile. 

“She’s very resilient,” Thranduil said. “She must get it from her mother.” 

Bard looked away from Tilda and saw that Thranduil was watching him. 

“I’m not resilient,” Bard said. 

“You can say that all you want but you prove that to be a lie more and more every day.” 

Bard blushed and looked away although a small smile played across his lips. 

When they arrived at the stables Bard was impressed at the size of it. It as big as a Laketown street. Tilda was waiting for them at the gate with a young woman. As they got close enough to talk Bard was surprised to find that she was an omega. He’d assumed because of Meludir that while omegas lived here they didn’t work, but she was dressed as a stable hand and smelt of horse. 

“Lymerien, I trust you have a suitable horse ready for this one?” Thranduil gestured to Tilda who was bouncing on the balls of her feet. 

“Tilda, calm down,” Bard said. “You don’t want to scare the horses.” 

Tilda reined her excitement in a little at that. 

“Yes, I have the perfect one. She doesn’t scare easily and is a great first horse. Shall we go find you a riding hat?” Lymerien asked Tilda. 

“Yes! What’s the horses’ name?” Tilda asked. 

“Revyn.” Lymerien opened the gate. 

Tilda followed Lymerien through the gate and closed it behind them. 

“Do you want to ride or would you prefer to watch?” Thranduil asked. 

“I’d rather watch,” Bard said. 

“Then we’ll go around to the arena.” 

Thranduil took Bard around the side of the stables to where there was a large fenced off area with sand covering the ground. They sat down on a bench facing the arena to wait for Tilda. Thranduil had his arm around Bard’s shoulders and Bard rested his head on Thranduil’s shoulder. 

“How was the meeting?” Bard asked. 

“It went better than expected. Not good but better than expected.” 

“What happened?” 

“Are you sure you want me to tell you?” Thranduil asked. 

Bard was silent as he thought it over. Tilda and Lymerien came out of the stables with a saddled up brown horse. Lymerien gave Tilda a boost and then the saddle was adjusted and the reins put into Tilda’s hands. Tilda put her feet in the stirups and adjusted her posture. Lymerien said something to Tilda who nodded and then Tilda nudged the horse. It took three nudges and a pull on the lead rope from Lymerien to get Revyn to move. Bard was relieved that Lymerien kept hold of the horse via the lead rope the whole time. 

“Yes, I want you to tell me,” Bard said. 

“Elrond’s managed to create a ‘safe’ heat suppressor which Legolas wants. So I’ve been haggling a price with her for it. Then we talked about her increase in operations. She hasn’t got the numbers to properly protect her shipments so she wants a contract where I will have my people protect them for a cut of the profits. After that we reviewed our existing contracts with each other and finally we spoke on the matter of Elanordor and Elrohir.” 

“There’s a safe heat suppressor?” Bard looked up into Thranduil’s face. 

“As safe as it’s possible to make. The side-affects are greatly reduced, but I still don’t trust it.” 

“Will you get them for Legolas?”

“If I can. I decided when he became an adult that Legolas’ body is his to do what he pleases with, however I will not allow you to take such a drug,” Thranduil said.

“So Celebrian deals in drugs?” Bard watched Tilda do slow laps of the arena. 

“Yes. A market I have neither expertise or interest in. You probably bought your beta scents and suppressants from her people.”

“What did you say about Elanordor and Elrohir?” 

“We agreed when they originally got together that they would visit each other but neither of us wanted to permanently give up one of our children. Now we’re having to come up with a new deal because I won’t allow Elanordor to leave the house. The current arrangement of Elrohir and Elladan living here is a temporary as they play a large part in her operations.” 

“Give them up? Is that how you view your children? As an extension of yourself or as your property? Thranduil, let them make their own decisions instead of dictating their lives to them,” Bard said. 

“It’s more complicated than that.”

“That doesn’t matter. If you truly care about what they want, then you’ll deal with the fallout of whatever happens. They’ll be happier in the long run if they have the chance to make their own decisions and mistakes,” Bard said. 

“I’ll think about it.” Thranduil pulled Bard into a kiss with his grip tight on his arm. 

They didn’t talk much after that and Bard spent the time enjoying the concentration of Tilda’s face as she continued her lesson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got a lot longer than I originally planned for it to be. I'm sorry that it doesn't really progress the plot but I decided that since the last chapter had a lack of barduil in it that I should make this chapter focus on them. That didn't exactly go to plan but I did my best.


End file.
